On Thursday 14 June, Parliament negotiators announced they had reached a political agreement on the main points of reform for the directive on the conditions for hosting asylum seekers in the EU, one of the seven texts of the “asylum package”. This announcement was not confirmed by the Council of the EU. One source indicates that the provisional agreement should be put to the test of member states first, possibly on 20 June.
According to the negotiator, Sophie in’t Velt (ALDE, NL), co-legislators agreed on the following points: - asylum seekers will be authorised to work for six months after the request for asylum is made (compared with nine months at present); - no minor may be placed in detention alone, except for protective purposes, or otherwise with their family in order to safeguard family unity; - and asylum seekers will be given language lessons from the very first day.
People calling for international protection will be entitled to primary and secondary healthcare, including mental healthcare. Children will be able to enter the school system at the latest two months after their arrival.
The directive aims to establish equivalent standards for taking in asylum seekers in all EU member states in order to reduce “secondary movements” and prevent so-called “asylum shopping”. It provides for penalties and negative measures for asylum seekers who do not abide by the rules of residency in the country where they have received that protection. This is the ongoing debate around the notion of stable responsibility of a member state in the asylum seeker part of the Dublin regulation.
Qualifications
On Thursday, Parliament also announced an institutional agreement on the regulation relating to conditions to be met by asylum seekers in order to receive international protection and on their rights. Recognised refugees should obtain a permit to stay for a minimum of three years renewable, while beneficiaries of subsidiary protection should have the right to a one year permit, renewable for at least two years.
The member states may grant longer permits for both categories (refugees and people who benefit from subsidiary protection) if they so wish. If protection is no longer necessary, then the authorities may remove it according to the “procedures” regulation. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)