Asylum case tests policy on borders

Cracks in the European Union’s efforts to deal jointly with migration issues widened on the 21 January 2011 after Europe’s leading human rights tribunal struck down part of its mechanism for dealing with asylum seekers.

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled that Belgium should not have deported an Afghan asylum seeker to Greece, even though it was entitled to under EU rules, on the grounds that Greece is unable to process properly refugee claims.

Diplomats warned that a weakening of the Dublin regulations would have an impact on the 1995 Schengen agreement, which abolished internal borders across most of the EU and a few neighbouring countries.

ESO: Background information: Greece to build wall on EU-Turkey border http://www.europeansources.info/record/greece-to-build-wall-on-eu-turkey-border/

BBC News, 21.1.11: Afghan wins key asylum case at European Court http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12255470

Deutsche Welle, 21.1.11: Human rights court slams EU asylum policy as inhumane http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14778111,00.html

European Commission; MEMO/11/35: Statement of Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, following the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights on the transfer of asylum seekers under the EU Dublin Regulation http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/11/35&format=PDF&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

ESO: Background information: Refugee system is collapsing http://www.europeansources.info/record/refugee-system-is-collapsing/

EUObserver, 21.1.11: Human rights court deals blow to EU asylum system http://euobserver.com/9/31681

Website: ECHR http://www.echr.coe.int/echr/Homepage_EN

EurActiv, 24.1.11: Court exposes appalling detention conditions in Greece http://www.euractiv.com/justice/court-exposes-appalling-detentio-news-501500

Kathimerini, 22.1.11: Court raps Greece for failing refugee http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100008_22/01/2011_122474

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