Member states’ permanent representatives endorsed, on behalf of the Council, a mandate on Wednesday 19 July for negotiations on the regulation on qualification standards, status and protection granted to refugees and persons eligible for subsidiary protection. On the basis of this mandate, the Presidency of the Council of the EU will start negotiations with the European Parliament as soon as possible, the Council says in a press release.
The ambassadors endorsed the text of the mandate (partial general approach) on the understanding that the parts relating to other files of the common European asylum system (CEAS) reform will be revisited once there is agreement on those proposals.
The main objectives of this draft regulation are that member states apply common criteria for the identification of persons genuinely in need of international protection and that the same common set of rights, such as access to the labour market and to benefits, is available for those persons in all member states in order to prevent secondary movement between states.
The draft regulation defines the standards for qualification both for refugee status and for subsidiary protection. It also lays down the elements to be taken into account in the assessment of an application.
It also details the protection granted to beneficiaries, including the duration of the permits and their rights in relation to access to employment, education, social security, healthcare, accommodation and integration measures.
It limits the right to reside of beneficiaries of international protection to the member state which granted them the protection.
The draft regulation also includes specific elements to take account of the situation of minors, in particular unaccompanied minors.
It sets out, inter alia, the length of time that the various residence permits granted in the member states are valid, for example, between three and ten years for refugees and between one and five years for those entitled to subsidiary protection, with national law setting the lengths of validity.
The European Parliament civil liberties committee adopted its mandate on 15 June (see EUROPE 11809). (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)