Brussels, 07/12/2004 (Agence Europe) - The JHA last week agreed on the continuation of the European Fund for Refugees from 2005 to 2010 The Justice and Home Affairs Ministers formally approved the continuation of this fund, having reached political agreement last June. Subject to decisions on the financial perspectives 2007-2013, the second generation European Fund for Refugees will have an average of 114 million EUR a year, compared to 54 million a year from 2000 to 2004.
The second generation fund will support the Member States' efforts to welcome refugees and displaced persons, by helping to pay for projects to receive asylum seekers and to process their applications (housing, medical aid, social and legal assistance, education, translation), for the integration of refugees in the host Member State, and also to return refugees to their region of origin. The Fund may also be used to take emergency measures in case of the arrival of a high number of refugees, via a European temporary protection mechanism. Furthermore, up to 7% of the Fund can be deployed for cross-border actions and projects launched by the Commission.