Annual-Report-2008.Pdf

AUSTRIA AZERBAIJAN an BELGIUM working BULGARIA nual together to protect CROATIA ECre and respect CZECH REPUBLIC port refugees Contents DENMARK FINLAND 20 MISSION STATEMENT...... 03 France From our Chair...... 04 GERMANY 08 ECRE at work...... 04 ECRE Dynamics...... 05 GREECE MESSAGE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL ...... 05 HUNGARY Borders with doors for refugees ...... 06 Ireland The year in Brief...... 07 The Plight of Palestinian Refugees fleeing Iraq ...... 10 ITALY Why Reconsider Dublin? ...... 11 LITHUANIA ECRE’s work in Eastern Europe...... 12 Working together: Spotlight on our Members ...... 14 LUXEMBOURG Publications ...... 20 the NETHERLANDS ecre Executive committee ...... 20 List of Member Organisations ...... 21 NORWAY Financial figures ...... 22 poland PORTUGAL ROMANIA

RUSSIAN FEDERATION Cover pictures SERBIA Front cover: Agathonisi, Greece, Gateway to Europe. While Europe’s borders are increasingly tight, victims of persecution find it ever harder to reach a safe haven in Europe. SLOVAKIA © Giorgios Moutafis. European Council on Refugees and Exiles SPAIN Back cover: © Memorial Human Rights Centre, Russia. Rue Royale 146, 2nd floor

B – 1000 Brussels, Belgium Sweden Editorial Tel: 0032 2 234 38 00 SWITZERLAND ECRE Advocacy & Communications Unit Fax: 0032 2 514 59 22 TURKEY [email protected] Lay out www.ecre.org UNITED KINGDOM www.imara.be Mission Statement

The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) is a pan- European alliance of 69 organisations in 29 countries, concerned with the needs of all individuals who seek refuge and asylum in Europe, and works to promote their protection and integration.

At the European Union (EU) level, ECRE pursues an agreed programme of policy initiatives, research and advocacy, aimed at stimulating new thinking on refugees and legislative reform in Europe. Its actions are also intended to counteract the manifestation of racism, xenophobia and social exclusion that undermine the institution of asylum.

As a true network, ECRE draws on the energy, ideas and commitment of an active membership and a strong secretariat. It also strives to involve the wider civil society, political and refugee communities in its work. It aims to ensure that its ideas and positions are of high quality, legally accurate and representative of a wide range of knowledge, experience and best practice throughout Europe.

The UK government’s Gateway Protection Programme offers 750 refugees the opportunity to resettle in the UK each year, as part of a global initiative in cooperation with UNHCR.

ECRE The spring general meeting, held in Brussels to mark the move, was FROM OUR CHAIR the last for our former Chair Eduard Nazarski. We are grateful for his long-standing commitment to our mission. Dear reader, In the following pages you will read about the latest accomplishments I am proud of having chaired our autumn general meeting held of ECRE, a vibrant alliance of NGOs, working together to protect and in Paris, opened by a keynote address by European Commission respect refugees. Vice President Jacques Barrot, in charge of Justice, Freedom and Security. He encouraged us to “keep them alert” and commended For over 35 years, ECRE has worked relentlessly to influence the our role in shaping European asylum policy. ECRE has come a long debate on refugee protection in Europe and contributed to the way and has more than ever a key role to play. shaping of the future Common European Asylum System. In parallel, ECRE has also worked to change the negative perception of asylum As Chair, I am pleased to see the recognition ECRE receives in the seekers and refugees, victims of the “Fortress Europe” attitude. asylum debate, and wish to thank all colleagues on the Executive Committee, the Secretariat and the Member agencies, who made In 2008, the ECRE Secretariat moved from London to Brussels, to it possible. be closer to the European Institutions and strengthen our lobbying capacity. Now that the relocation has been completed, I want to The strength of ECRE is that it represents civil society across take this opportunity to thank our Members for their generosity Europe and provides strong evidence of the human misery caused and support. It has truly made all the difference. We are already by current asylum policy and practice. We must continue to work seeing the benefits of this change, which strengthens our ability to together to ensure that our voice is one that cannot be ignored by influence the European asylum framework. I also wish to extend a decision makers. special thank you to our Secretary General, who led ECRE through Sally Daghlian Chair, Executive Committee this challenging period. Sally Daghlian, Chair, Executive Committee

Advocacy and public awareness: Our advocacy is focused on the Focus on Eastern Europe: Countries in this region constitute a ecre at work EU and national level. In practice this means following the policy significant external border for the EU. ECRE and its Members in the processes and engaging the relevant stakeholders in the creation and region work with border officials, national authorities, the courts, revision of asylum and refugee legislation. ECRE also strives to raise legal profession and a host of partner organisations to support awareness and change the way asylum seekers and refugees are refugees. These activities build on a long-term commitment to the Policy and research: Our research aims to demonstrate that the perceived through campaigns, exhibitions and conferences. region that started in the 1990’s. needs of refugees and the interests of European host states are not mutually exclusive, but can be realised simultaneously through Membership mobilisation: ECRE’s influence and legitimacy rests policies that are principled as well as pragmatic. Our policies are on its active and diverse membership of civil society organisations “action oriented”, aiming always to propose specific recommendations. throughout Europe working on refugee and asylum rights. The input The research and policy positions developed by ECRE are firmly of our members is vital to our work, it is by working together that we based in international human rights and refugee law. effect changes.

Annual Report 2008 Bjarte Vandvik Secretary General ecre dynamics message of the secretary general

The Members of ECRE assign experts to participate in Core Groups, Dear reader, which meet regularly to drive and develop our positions and advocacy With the Secretariat completely established in Brussels, ECRE is work on specific areas of refugee protection. In 2008, ECRE supported now fully geared to intensify its advocacy towards the European and coordinated Core Groups on Access to Protection in Europe, Commission, the European Parliament and the Permanent Asylum Systems, Return, Resettlement, Integration and the External Representations of the Member States. Dimension. The European Commission’s Policy Plan on Asylum, published on The biannual general meetings form the governance structure of 17 June 2008, reflects many recommendations put forward by ECRE the network. In addition, they are an occasion to plan advocacy and and other stakeholders. In the words of European Commissioner policy activities, share knowledge and expertise, and offer networking Jacques Barrot, “ECRE has critically helped the Commission identify opportunities. In 2008, ECRE held the spring general meeting in the problems inherent to the current legislation and draw possible Brussels and the autumn general meeting in Paris. solutions”.

ELENA stands for the European Legal Network on Asylum. It brings Our presence in Brussels is part of the larger picture, which features together 26 national coordinators and some 2,000 lawyers from across all our Members from across Europe. Our success is the result of

Europe. It is a forum for legal practitioners who aim to promote the Annemie Turtelboom, Belgian Federal Minister for Migration and Asylum and Pieter channelling their expertise and commitment. highest human rights standards for the treatment of asylum seekers, De Gryse, Director of Flemish Refugee Action, spring general meeting, Brussels. refugees and other persons in need of international protection. Via Looking ahead, we will maintain our constructive cooperation with an online discussion group, ELENA facilitates networking, exchange the European Institutions. ECRE’s focus will be to raise protection of information and contributes invaluable information to ECRE’s standards and make Europe a more welcoming place for refugees policy and advocacy work. Following a long-standing tradition, ECRE and asylum seekers. The time is now to make a lasting impact on the facilitates regular ELENA training courses on topics of international future Common European Asylum System. and European refugee and asylum law. It was an intense and productive year for ECRE. Allow me once more In 2008 ECRE has strengthened its work with media officers across to express my gratitude to our Members, our donors and our staff the membership. The network aims to achieve a coordinated approach for making this year so remarkable. to media work across Europe. Bjarte Vandvik, Secretary General

ECRE Borders with doors for refugees

In recent years the EU has increasingly focused its asylum and ECRE and its Members engaged in expert meetings, conferences, To mark the full establishment of migration policy on preventing and combating irregular entries. debates, national campaigns and external events to raise awareness the Secretariat in Brussels, ECRE While Europe’s borders are increasingly tight and more secure, on the need to guarantee access to protection to refugees. The organised an external event called victims of persecution are finding it ever harder to reach a safe European Commission’s Policy Plan on Asylum acknowledges the “(In)Accessible Europe”, held on haven. With barely any legal migration routes into Europe from third need to ensure access for those in need of protection. 4 June in parallel with ECRE’s countries, migrants and refugees are forced to resort to irregular spring general meeting. The means of travel. The lack of access to protection and the violation of In 2008, ECRE has been mentioned and / or interviewed on over event drew speakers such as Jean some of the asylum seekers’ fundamental rights are in contradiction 100 occasions. ECRE’s opinion was included in newspaper articles, Louis De Brouwer, Director for to the founding principles of the EU. For this, ECRE and its Members radio news, television programmes, ranging from European Voice Immigration, Asylum and Borders chose the theme of “Access to Europe” as advocacy focus for 2008. and the Economist, to Al Jazeera Television and BBC World Radio at the European Commission’s Service. Directorate-General for Justice, Valentino Achak Deng, ”Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum protagonist of the novel “ What is Freedom and Security, and from persecution”. Article14, Universal Declaration of Human Rights. the What”, by Dave Eggers Annemie Turtelboom, the Belgian www.ecre.org/access_to_europe Federal Minister for Immigration ECRE believes that the right to seek asylum is meaningless if people and Asylum. The Swedish writer and Goodwill Ambassador for in need of international protection are denied access to European the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue Henning Mankell, territory. Erecting ever-higher walls is not the solution and a more contributed a personal address read by Caritas Sweden’s balanced approach is needed. Furthermore, while Member States George Joseph. The British theatre group Actors for Human have the right to ensure the management of their borders, border Rights, made up of refugees resident in the UK as well as management must ensure that no asylum seeker is sent back at the Valentino Achak Deng, a Sudanese refugee, met the audience border to a risk of persecution. as part of the event’s programme.

“Defending Refugees’ Access to Protection in Europe” published in To mark the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of December 2007, examines the numerous border control measures Human Rights, a second external event, “Journeys to Europe”, of European Member States and the European Border Management was held on 9 December together with the British Council in Agency (FRONTEX) to prevent irregular migration. The paper makes Brussels. The event provided an insight into the journeys of proposals for changes that should be made in order to ensure migrants and refugees who have sought a new life in Europe. European countries do not push refugees back to life-threatening Short films created by migrants and refugees were presented situations. This document is the base for a string of advocacy and enriched by speeches given by Martin Hope, Director of the activities carried out during 2008, conveying the message that “EU British Council and Bjarte Vandvik of ECRE. borders must have doors for refugees”. “What price does a refugee pay to reach Europe”, the Brussels poster campaign produced by ECRE .

Annual Report 2008 March rights of asylum seekers entering the EU via Greece, including the To mark the fifth anniversary of request to stop any transfer to Greece under the Dublin Regulation. the coalition invasion of Iraq, ECRE and the Iraq Working Group, an “The EU can surely find a better system than the current one which bounces vulnerable informal lobbying group composed refugees around Europe like ping pong balls, with devastating consequences for of key international civil society those unlucky enough to land in countries which lack proper asylum systems” organisations, organise a debate Bjarte Vandvik quoted in the EU Observer. entitled “From words to action: the Iraqi displacement crisis and the role of the EU” on 19 March. Around The Year in brief 75 people, including European In order to raise awareness about the continuing human rights Commission officials, journalists violations in Chechnya, ECRE’s Eastern Europe team attends a photo

Al Waleed refugee camp, at the and members of international exhibition and a roundtable on the Human Rights situation in Chechnya January Iraq-Syria border. © Ariane den Uyl, networks, as well as UNHCR, at the European Parliament on 7- 8 April. Hosted by Members of the Dutch Council for Refugees To address the challenges in relation to return assistance attend the event. On the occasion, European Parliament Bart Staes and Helene Flautre (President of programmes in Europe, ECRE gives a presentation at a conference ECRE presents the alarming results of a survey on the treatment of the Human Rights Commission), this event is co-organised by the held in Kosovo, organised by the Danish Refugee Council. European Iraqi asylum seekers in 21 European Member States entitled “Five International Federation of Human Rights, Human Rights Watch, the Commission experts, Danish and other government representatives years on, Europe is still ignoring its responsibilities towards Iraqi Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre of the Norwegian Refugee as well as many NGOs, attend the conference. Refugees”. As the survey indicates, there are still great disparities Council, Pax Christi Flanders and ECRE. in the treatment of Iraqi asylum seekers across Europe. European The ECRE South Eastern Europe project “Strengthening the Regional countries show a weak response to this crisis and a worrisome lack Advocacy Voice and Policy Impact of Civil Society on behalf of Vulnerable of political will to address the situation. May Groups in Western Balkans” draws to its end. Funded by the European ECRE completes the move of the Secretariat to Brussels and holds Commission’s assistance programme to South Eastern European a goodbye party attended by former staff and some of the founding “EU Member States should stop ignoring their duty and share their responsibility countries (CARDS) and the Dutch Council for Refugees, the final fathers of ECRE. The Eastern Europe Team, as well as IT and for asylum seekers more fairly. An asylum seeker should have exactly the same conference takes place in Croatia, which is organised in cooperation financial officers remain based in London, hosted by the Refugee chances of getting protection in any country”. Bjarte Vandvik with regional project partners. Legal Centre.

February ECRE participates in a dissemination The ELENA course on “Cessation and conference on “Resettlement as Exclusion Clauses, National Security and In preparation for the upcoming French Presidency, France Terre durable solution – durable solutions Non-Refoulement” is held in Athens on d’Asile, Forum Réfugiés and ECRE meet with French Minister Brice in practice”, held in Bucharest, 22 – 24 February and attended by 145 Hortefeux, in charge of Immigration, Asylum, National Identity and Romania on 7-9 May and attended participants, including practitioners from Co-development. by the regional governments, Eastern Europe and representatives from UNHCR and European Commission the United Nations High Commissioner officials. The conference focuses for Refugees (UNHCR). April on opportunities and challenges Following the publication of its policy recommendations “Sharing for resettlement programmes in ECRE’s Eastern Europe team organises responsibility for refugee protection in Europe: Dublin reconsidered”, Romania and in the wider region as a training course in Donetsk, Ukraine, ECRE addresses an open letter to the European Commission and the well as on exchange of best practices for NGOs working with difficult clients. Member States asking for measures to be taken to safeguard the between EU Member States. The ELENA course in Athens Camp Samos, Greece ©Karl Kopp, Pro Asyl

ECRE June programme and to enhance practical cooperation amongst Member July As France is drafting the European Pact for Migration and Asylum, States to improve the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers As France takes over the Presidency of the EU, ECRE issues a many ECRE Members take part in a conference held in Paris organised in Europe. Furthermore, it formally acknowledges that measures memorandum stressing key recommendations and indicators for by France Terre d’Asile and attended by key government officials in have to be taken to strengthen access to protection in the EU. assessing the French Presidency. As a country with a long-standing the field of asylum. Speakers include representatives of the French tradition in offering asylum and in view of the importance it will give government, a French Member of Parliament, representatives of To celebrate World Refugee Day, ECRE produces two supplements on to immigration and asylum issues through its forthcoming Pact on the European Economic and Social Committee and several national asylum in French and Dutch, distributed by two leading newspapers Asylum and Migration, France has the potential to make a significant journalists. in Belgium. The project is carried out in cooperation with UNHCR contribution to improving Europe’s role in the global refugee and five leading refugee-assisting organisations in Belgium, protection system. Members of ECRE gather in Brussels for the spring general meeting including Flemish Refugee Action, and reaches an estimated held on 3-5 June, organised together with Flemish Refugee Action. 40,000 readers. On 2 July, ECRE chairs a round table at the World Forum on Human Working groups and plenary debates revolve around the publication Rights held in Nantes, France. ECRE’s Eastern Europe team of the Policy Plan on Asylum and the role of the French Presidency in presents the situation for asylum seekers and refugees in Eastern shaping the Common European Asylum System. Europe and the effects of EU asylum policies, including Regional Protection Programmes in Belarus, Moldova and the Ukraine. Key The European Commission’s Policy Plan on Asylum is published on 17 European Commission officers in charge of asylum, as well as June, effectively starting the second phase of the Common European French Government officials and leading French based NGOs attend Asylum System. The plan reflects many points taken forward by the meeting. ECRE and its Members. In particular, the plan expresses the wish to amend the Dublin Regulation, to establish a European resettlement Reception centre in Lampedusa, Italy - ©Chiara Tamburini

focus on returns The Directive on Common Standards and Procedures for the Return of Irregularly Staying Third Country Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) on 28 May indicated that ECRE was successful in communicating its concerns. Nationals, including Rejected Asylum Seekers (also known as the “Returns” Directive) was endorsed by the Yet Member States exerted considerable pressure on Members of the European Parliament to give up a European Parliament in June 2008 and officially adopted by the Council on 9 December 2008. It was the number of human rights safeguards. Despite persistent advocacy, on 18 June the European Parliament first Directive voted under the co-decision procedure between the European Parliament and the Council. approved the compromised text. Together with the Core Group on Returns, and in cooperation with many civil society organisations (in particular Amnesty International-EU Office, Save the Children and Churches Commission on Migrants in The Directive foresees the imposition of entry bans which will prohibit deported asylum seekers from Europe - CCME) ECRE worked intensely to influence the June vote of the Directive, by being in regular coming to the EU for up to 5 years, without taking into account possible changes in the circumstances of contact with key institutional actors participating in the process leading to the vote. their countries of origin which may force them to leave again. Furthermore, under the Directive, Member States will be allowed to detain people who have committed no crime, including unaccompanied children In a joint statement with Amnesty International issued in May, ECRE emphasised that the compromise text and families, for a period of up to 18 months. reached between the Slovenian Presidency and the European Parliament Rapporteur Manfred Weber did not meet the purpose of guaranteeing sufficient safeguards for the persons involved in return procedures. ECRE put in place several media initiatives to denounce the compromise on the Returns Directive. ECRE’s Members of the European Parliament were therefore urged not to accept this text, as well as to address comments received wide media coverage and ECRE has since been one of the main ports of call for its flaws during the plenary vote. A discussion at the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, journalists to get an alternative view of the Returns Directive.

Annual Report 2008 ECRE attends the Annual Tripartite Consultation on Resettlement journalists. Within the framework of the WSFM, ECRE convenes a address. ECRE and its Members express their views in a common (ATCR) in Geneva, organised by UNHCR. Once more the conference workshop which addresses difficulties confronted by asylum seekers call, the “Appel de Paris”, which urges the EU to build a welcoming provides an opportunity to consolidate ECRE’s role as the strategic in accessing EU territory and the different procedures in Europe. Europe based on the principles of protection and solidarity. coordinator of European NGO interests. During the conference, ECRE and UNHCR issue a joint statement on resettlement, to encourage and support European countries in resettling more vulnerable October November refugees. ECRE takes part in a roundtable of the Metropolis Conference held As part of a border monitoring project, the Eastern Europe team in Bonn, organised by the International Centre for Migration Policy organises a training for approximately 40 border guards and migration Development, to share its views on the situation regarding access to officials in Donetsk, Ukraine, on 19 – 20 November. August Europe. The forum brings ECRE to the attention of stakeholders from The Eastern Europe team publishes NGO annual reports on the around the world, including representatives of African countries. ECRE and UNHCR Moscow organise an introductory course on situation of asylum seekers, refugees and internally displaced international refugee law in St Petersburg, on 25 – 28 November. persons in Belarus, Moldova, Russian Federation and Ukraine. EU leaders adopt the European Pact on Migration and Asylum on Some 80 refugee lawyers, judges and migration officials from the Written by national refugee-assisting NGOs, they are published in 16 October. In Bjarte Vandvik’s words, “The pact may be tipping the former Soviet Union attend the event. English, Russian, Ukrainian and Romanian and made available on balance further towards the security approach - which to date has not the ECRE website. provided solutions to Europe’s migration challenges - and away from Forum Réfugiés presents ECRE’s recommendations on the European the necessary actions to ensure human rights safeguards”. ECRE’s Asylum Support Office to European Commissioner Barrot during a comments are featured in mainstream media across Europe. visit by Mr Barrot to a reception centre in Lyon, France. September ECRE is called to speak at the Ministerial Conference “Building a Europe of Asylum” held in Paris on 7 – 8 September organised by “I would like to commend the vital role of NGOs, in particular, ECRE, in shaping of December the French Presidency of the EU. ECRE calls on EU Member States the common European asylum policy. I would also like to take this opportunity to On 3 December, the European Commission publishes proposals to ensure that the envisaged Common European Asylum System thank you for your contribution, as civil society and NGO, to the Green Paper and to for the amendments of the Reception Directive and the Dublin safeguards fundamental human and asylum rights. Harmonisation the public hearing, as this critically helped the Commission to identify the problems Regulation. ECRE welcomes the proposals which are a promising results in higher standards and, ultimately, asylum seekers should inherent to the current legislation and develop possible solutions.” start. “We hope that the European Parliament and the Council will live be granted access to protection and fair asylum procedures. Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of the European Commission, keynote address, Paris up to Europe’s commitment to protect the fundamental rights of persons general meeting, 30 October who have no choice but to escape conflicts and persecution” comments The European Commission sets out a calendar for amendments to Bjarte Vandvik. a series of asylum legal instruments and meets with ECRE to start discussions on amendments to the Dublin Regulation. Further In a policy position on resettlement, published on 6 December, ECRE meetings are scheduled to discuss the Qualification Directive, ECRE and UNHCR Europe Bureau hold their annual strategic meeting shares joint recommendations and guidelines for the shape and Asylum Procedures Directive, Reception Directive and the creation of in Geneva on 17 October, to compare strategies and share ideas on functions of a European Resettlement Programme and calls on the a European Asylum Support Office. further cooperation. EU to step up its commitments on the issue.

ECRE participates in the World Social Forum on Migration (WSFM) Because of the priority given by France to the theme of migration To finish the year, ECRE issues a Memorandum to the Czech held in Madrid and organised by the Spanish Commission for and asylum and the adoption of the European Pact on Migration and Presidency on 19 December. This contains an overview of key Refugees’ Aid (CEAR). The forum seeks to facilitate coordinated Asylum, ECRE organises its autumn general meeting in Paris on 30-31 recommendations urging the Czech Presidency to use its position of advocacy, both at the local level and on a global scale, with a view October, under the auspices of the French Presidency and organised leadership in the Council to lay a sound foundation for the completion to enhance the fundamental rights and living conditions of displaced together with France Terre d’Asile and Forum Réfugiés. Jacques of a Common European Asylum System. persons. The WSFM is attended by more than 2,000 civil society Barrot, Vice President of the European Commission in charge of organisations from around 86 countries and is covered by some 200 Justice, Freedom and Security, opens the conference with a key note

ECRE Prior to 2003, Palestinians who fled their country found refuge in In view of the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council on 27 The plight of Palestinian Iraq. With the coalition invasion of Iraq, they joined the 5 million November, 10 organisations, including ECRE, called upon all EU Iraqi nationals who fled their homeland in search of security. Most Member States to join forces and help resolve the situation of the refugees fleeing Iraq of them are still stranded in Syrian and Jordanian refugee camps. Iraqi Palestinians by resettling them to Europe. If each Member Palestinian refugees represent some of the most vulnerable groups, State would share the responsibility equally this would amount to with no prospect of return. resettling a mere 10 families each. This modest act would provide a durable solution for the Palestinians in these camps. In the JHA Five years on, the situation in those camps has only worsened. Two Council Conclusions of 27 November, European Member States camps in particular, Al Waleed and Al Tanf in no man’s land on the committed themselves to jointly take in 10,000 vulnerable Iraqis and Iraq-Syria border, are home to approximately 3,000 Palestinians Palestinians. living in desperate conditions after fleeing Baghdad. With severe lack of medical assistance and appalling hygiene conditions, they are at risk of contracting fatal diseases.

UNHCR has repeatedly called for international support for the Palestinian victims, but with little impact. Given that resettlement is often the only solution for refugees who cannot return to their countries because they would face persecution, ECRE has repeatedly called on more European Member States to resettle this group of refugees.

In November, an official delegation from the EU visited refugee camps in Syria and Jordan to identify potential resettlement beneficiaries. In the following week, a delegation of representatives from NGOs from all over the world, including representatives of ECRE Members Flemish Refugee Action and Dutch Council for Refugees, conducted a mission to the Al Tanf, Al Hol and Al Waleed camps on the Iraq- Syria border.

“Because of the security situation, refugees in those camps cannot return to Iraq. They cannot seek refuge in Syria because they are denied entry. Resettlement is the only solution for them.” Ariane den Uyl from the Dutch Council for Refugees, interviewed by ECRE after her visit to Syria.

Al Waleed and Al Tanf camps, at the Iraq-Syria border. © Ariane den Uyl, Dutch Council for Refugees.

10 Annual Report 2008 Why Reconsider Dublin ?

The Dublin Regulation establishes a hierarchy of criteria for identifying the EU Member State responsible for processing an asylum claim. “The current problems in Greece are only a symptom of fundamental and far- Usually, it is the state through which the asylum seeker first entered reaching flaws inherent in the Dublin system.” the EU which is responsible for the process. The Regulation aims to Bjarte Vandvik, quoted in EU Observer on 3 April ensure that each claim is examined by one Member State to deter repeated applications and enhance efficiency.

The application of this regulation however can seriously delay the In April, ECRE addressed an open letter to the European Commission examination of claims and result in claims never being heard. Causes and the Member States asking for measures to be taken in of concern include the use of detention to enforce the transfers of safeguarding the rights of asylum seekers entering Europe via

Lesbos Mitilini Camp. © Karl Kopp asylum seekers from the state where they applied to the state deemed Greece, including the request to stop any transfers under the Dublin responsible, the separation of families, the denial of an effective Regulation. “It is plain to see that Greece is opportunity to appeal against transfers and the reluctance of currently incapable of meeting its legal Member States to use the sovereignty clause to alleviate these and Persistent evidence-based advocacy led Norway and Finland to obligations concerning refugees. I can other problems. The Dublin system also increases pressures on the announce the cessation of all transfers to Greece under the Dublin conceive of no justification for returning external border regions of the EU, where states are often least able to Regulation, with Germany suspending transfers of unaccompanied asylum seekers to Greece, a country offer asylum seekers support and protection. Furthermore, the minors. Other countries have not suspended transfers but courts where the reception system is extremely Dublin system impedes integration of refugees by delaying the have stopped them in individual cases. In September, Norway limited and of help to few refugees, and examination of asylum claims, by pushing refugees ‘underground’ announced it would resume transfers to Greece, albeit only after an where asylum procedures are unlawful. and by uprooting refugees and forcing them to have their claims individual assessment of each case. However, ceasing to return refugees determined in Member States with which they may have no particular to Greece will not be enough, given the connection. ECRE has called for the replacement of the EU’s Dublin Regulation dramatic situation there. Not only must with a system that ensures genuine responsibility sharing and full the Dublin Regulation be Fundamentally, the Dublin Regulation fails to protect the rights of respect for the rights of asylum seekers. Many of ECRE’s policy radically reformed, action is urgently asylum seekers because it erroneously assumes that there is a level recommendations surfaced in the proposal to amend the Dublin required now. European States, playing field of protection across the EU. Greece is a clear example of Regulation and in the Commission’s Policy Plan of 17 June. particularly those lying at the EU’s how harmful the application of the Dublin Regulation can be. centre, must accept asylum seekers In September, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the from Greece immediately.” Greece has one of the lowest rates of refugee recognition in the EU Dublin Regulation. The resolution calls on the European Commission and the rights of asylum seekers are routinely violated. Official visits to amend the Regulation along lines broadly similar to those Karl Kopp, Pro Asyl’s report “The situation in Greece is out of control”, November by delegations of Members of the European Parliament, as well recommended by ECRE and to institute solidarity mechanisms both as independent observers to Greek reception centres (including within and in addition to the Regulation, so that States experiencing Members of ECRE) reported systematic efforts by the Greek border extraordinary pressures may receive financial and non-financial authorities to prevent access to asylum determination procedures, support. The European Commission’s proposal for the amendment of as well as human rights abuses on the seas, in transit areas and in the Dublin Regulation issued on 3 December, also reflects many detention centres. of ECRE’s recommendations.

ECRE 11 ECRE’s work in Eastern Europe

ECRE’s Eastern Europe team has been conducting training and Cross-Border Visit to Poland monitoring projects in the region for many years, contributing to Ukrainian representatives from the border guard, UNHCR and the blossoming of civil society and ultimately, care and protection NGOs participated in a study visit to Poland on 9-12 April to of asylum seekers, forced migrants and internally displaced exchange experiences and good practices in refugee protection and people. The following projects were implemented and completed NGO-border guard cooperation. This visit was organised with the during 2008. assistance of the Helsinki Foundation of Human Rights in Poland. Participants felt the visits were useful and allowed them to learn more about the migration system of Poland, including administrative Speaking out for Refugee Rights expulsion and deportation procedures, the procedure of applying for asylum at the border and detention conditions in Poland. They felt This three-year project sponsored by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign the information was particularly relevant for return and readmission Affairs under the social transformation programme for Central and cases to Ukraine. Eastern Europe countries (MATRA) was run by ECRE in cooperation with the Dutch Council for Refugees until June 2008. It aimed to Although the project has been successful in achieving its goal and strengthen the capacity of refugee-assisting NGOs in Belarus, the contributing to the long-term objectives, NGOs in Eastern Europe Russian Federation and the Ukraine, to improve their managerial and continue to require the support from the international community in advocacy skills. The aim is to pursue a constructive dialogue with order to effectively protect the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. Detention centre in Ukraine. governmental and intergovernmental actors for the protection of refugees, forced migrants and internally displaced persons.

Training: “How to deal with conflict situations and aggression?” - Donetsk, Ukraine, 26-27 February This training was facilitated by Emoke Halaszi and Rasja Mahabier from the Dutch Council for Refugees, for NGO representatives from Belarus, Ukraine, Russian Federation and Moldova. It focused on the practical issues of addressing conflict situations both inside and outside the NGO as well as dealing with aggressive situations involving clients. The participants found that discussing their own experiences and working in smaller groups was useful and practical. Some participants indicated that they would be conducting small trainings for their colleagues on the issues covered during the training. Training days in Donetsk, Ukraine.

12 Annual Report 2008 Protection of Refugees, Asylum Seekers • The European Union funding priorities in Eastern Europe for refugee and Forced Migrants protection, migration management and border reinforcement in Belarus, Moldova, Russian Federation and Ukraine. This project was funded by the European Commission’s assistance • Manual for border guards on refugee rights and international programme for Central and Eastern European countries AENEAS. standards (Russian). It focused on providing legal assistance and support to refugee- • “Here to Stay?” Refugee voices in Belarus, Moldova, the Russian assisting organisations in Belarus, Moldova, Russian Federation and Federation and Ukraine (English and Russian). Ukraine.

Introductory course on International Refugee Law, Border Monitoring Programme, 25-28 November 2008, St Petersburg, Russia Eastern Ukraine This was the fourth session of the course, organised by ECRE and UNHCR Moscow. Some 80 refugee lawyers, judges and migration In September 2007, three young Chechen girls died from exhaustion A school in the North Caucasus. Memorial Human Rights Centre, Russia. officials from the former Soviet Union attended the event. The main and exposure as they tried to cross with their mother into Poland. trainer was Rodger Haines QC from New Zealand, Deputy Chair of the The family got lost in the mountains as they tried to cross from and asylum seekers’ rights in accordance with Ukrainian legislation. New Zealand Refugee Status Appeals Authority. The course included Ukraine to Poland in the South Eastern mountain area. a session on statelessness led by Gabor Gyulai of the Hungarian On 19-20 November ECRE and its partners held a training for border Helsinki Committee and a session on internally displaced persons This example illustrates the desperate lengths asylum seekers are guards in the Eastern region of Ukraine: Donetsk, Lughansk and led by Dietrun Gunther, Senior Protection Officer, UNHCR Moscow. forced to go to in order to seek safety in Europe. As a transit country for Kharkiv. This focused on issues of refugee protection, international migrants on their way to Western Europe, Ukraine is facing pressure obligations towards refugees and improving State-NGO cooperation. from the EU and is increasingly tightening controls on irregular “In my work in court on migration cases, I try to take all the themes discussed migration. In doing so it can compromise its protection to refugees. The project also produced and distributed information leaflets in today into account. I work with the aim of protecting the interests of people who are The procedures of the State Border Service and Ministry of Interior different languages on the rights of refugees and asylum seekers threatened with deportation from the Russian Federation (by decisions from other for the hand-over of asylum applications to the migration services in the Ukraine. At least 700 refugees and asylum seekers received courts) as much as possible. I take into account as much as possible questions are at best unreliable and this seriously restricts asylum seekers’ information on whom to approach in the region when in need of of study, and family issues. Therefore the principles of work with migrants and access to international protection. The EU-Ukraine readmission help. refugees which were discussed today give good direction to my work.” agreement will come into force in 2010. A comment from the anonymous evaluation questionnaire . In total ECRE, DFSPM and the project partners trained around In August 2008, ECRE received funding from the German Embassy 170 border, migration and Ministry of Interior officials on refugee in Ukraine to carry out a border-monitoring programme in Eastern protection issues. For some of the officials it was the first time Reports and publications: Ukraine, in partnership with the Ukrainian NGO Donetsk Foundation of they had received training on refugee rights and the activities of (available in hard copy and on ECRE website) Social Protection and Mercy (DFSPM), and Kharkiv Social Assistance UNHCR and NGO working in this field. One of the most significant • NGO Country reports 2007: Belarus, Moldova, Russian Federation Services. Under this project, eight training events were organised for project achievements was that the trained border guards started to and Ukraine- Situation for refugees, asylum seekers and internally border guards and Ministry of the Interior officials from the Eastern differentiate between economic migrants and refugees and became displaced persons (IDPs). Ukraine region on the basic principles of international refugee law aware of the special needs if refugees and asylum seekers.

ECRE 13 working together: Spotlight on our members Access to protection in Europe ECRE’s Members engage in direct assistance and British Refugee Council (BRC, United Kingdom) Romanian National Council for Refugees (CNRR, Romania) support to refugees and asylum seekers in their country The BRC’s groundbreaking report “Remote Controls: how UK border In order to better protect refugees, CNRR carried out a number of and internationally. Very often, they are involved in controls are endangering the lives of refugees” could only be achieved training programmes for border police. One thousand border police projects in cooperation with other ECRE Members. The thanks to the valuable expertise, practical help and contacts made benefited from training on migration during 7 training events. Fifty following is a sample of some of the work our Members available by ECRE’s network of NGOs. The report examines border judges and other stakeholders benefited from a compilation of have undertaken in 2008. controls implemented by the United Kingdom overseas and relied on jurisprudence and 3 seminars organised by CNRR. Five thousand assistance from NGO partners on the EU borders. For example, the copies of a manual for border police staff were published. The Helsinki Citizens Assembly assisted with a field visit to Turkey and manual addresses border police responsibilities in migration/ contributed the Foreword to the report. Such collaboration resulted asylum related issues. A brochure on Alien Law was published in the BRC being able to highlight the dangers posed by the UK’s and one thousand five hundred copies distributed. Under the same border controls for refugees in transit. The report can be found at: project financed by the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Romania, www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/policy/position/2008/remotecontrols/ 2 leaflets regarding asylum applications, rights and obligations remote_controls.htm during the asylum procedure were printed in 14 languages and dialects, coupled by a DVD with audio recorded versions of the leaflets in 8 languages and dialects. Comision Espanola de Ayuda al Refugiado (CEAR, Spain) The local branch of CEAR in Euskadi (CEAR-Euskadi) is implementing Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly (HCA, Turkey)

Queuing at an airport in Turkey. © British Refugee Council. an advocacy campaign for Spain to meet its obligations in upholding On 22 – 23 November 2008, HCA conducted one of a series of refugee the principle of non-refoulement of refugees when controlling support trainings for local NGOs, lawyers and professionals in the and guarding the Southern border of Europe. Spain, within the Midwestern Turkish town of Afyon, one of Turkey’s “satellite cities”. framework of the EU, has developed a migratory flow “control Registered asylum seekers are required to live here pending legal system” that carries its jurisdiction beyond its territorial borders. determination by the government and UNHCR. In the absence of In this respect, the Spanish government acts in international waters any meaningful support mechanisms and comprehensive reception and transit countries, in addition to entering into agreements with arrangements, asylum seekers are hard-pressed to access shelter, countries of origin to control departures from their own coasts. legal aid and healthcare. HCA seeks to mobilize local residents into These measures have the effect of restricting refugees’ departure solidarity with asylum seeker communities by promoting awareness from their countries of origin and preventing them from reaching and direct involvement among local stakeholders. a safe country. They constitute a violation of the treaties protecting human and refugee rights. CEAR-Euskadi has written a report and is working with regional Basque stakeholders, including local authorities, politicians and NGOs, to formulate their stances on Spain’s obligations to uphold the principle of non-refoulement. CEAR-Euskadi is also in contact with ECRE in order to convey these positions to European authorities. www.sinrefugio.org/europa/ing/ Afsanah Firoozyar with her daughter Shirin Karimbake, from ‘Mothers and Daughters’ exhibition, Dublin 2007. © Glenn Jordan.

14 Annual Report 2008 Reconsider Dublin Resettlement

Norwegian Organisation for Asylum Seekers Italian Council for Refugees (CIR, Italy) (NOAS, Norway) In 2007 and 2008, the Italian government adopted for the first time In cooperation with the Norwegian and Greek Helsinki Monitor, two ad hoc resettlement solutions. A group of 40 Eritrean refugees NOAS has issued a report called “A gamble with the right to asylum in detained at Misratah camp in Libya were resettled to Italy in October Europe” which contributed to the suspension of all returns of asylum 2007. They were followed in May 2008 by a second group of 30 seekers from Norway to Greece. This report was also presented to a Eritrean refugees. CIR successfully lobbied the Italian government, Meeting with a group of Afghani asylum seekers during a fact-finding mission in Greece in April 2008 (Noas). committee meeting of the European Parliament. Norway restricted having promoted a feasibility study on resettlement in 2005 and 2006. its asylum policies in the autumn of 2008 as a result of increasing The study proposed an “Italian way” for the resettlement process and numbers of asylum seekers. in 2007 CIR implemented a European project aimed at promoting programmes for the resettlement of refugees through information and awareness raising. In 2007 and 2008 CIR was selected as an Pro Asyl (Germany) operational partner for the Eritrean resettlement programme. Pro Asyl carried out several visits to Greece to monitor the situation of asylum seekers returned to Athens on the basis of the Dublin Regulation. They spoke personally to many refugees and Refugee Action (United Kingdom) representatives of civil society, UNHCR and the Ministry of Health. The UK government’s Gateway Protection Programme offers 750 The visits culminated with a report called ”The situation is out of refugees the opportunity to resettle to the UK each year as part of control”, issued in November. In this paper, Pro Asyl documents a global initiative in cooperation with UNHCR. These refugees are Pro Asyl in Greece to monitor the situation of asylum seekers. that Greece is unable to meet the current asylum requirements some of the most vulnerable across the globe and resettlement and legal obligations concerning refugees. The report ends with a offers vital protection to those facing the greatest risk. The journey recommendation to stop returning asylum seekers to Greece under for resettled refugees is not an easy one: often in the short term, the Dublin Regulation. The call is for greater European solidarity, families struggle to make the massive adjustments required to start given the humanitarian crisis in the country. their lives over again and they face considerable challenges in their new lives. Refugee Action provides specialised integration support to refugees resettled in the Greater Manchester region in a unique partnership with local authorities through a mixture of casework management and community development work. The team is based in Bolton and has provided support to over 500 refugees resettled from Liberia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mauritania, Sudan, Burma and Iraq since the programme began in 2004.

ECRE 15 Integration participation, trans-national networking and migrants initiatives on joint development. Several ECRE Members took part to the project, RESCATE (Spain) including the British Refugee Council, the Czech OPU, and the Since 1960, Rescate has been working with refugees and displaced European Refugee Advocacy Network (ERAD). people, in particular women and children. During 2008 it carried out a number of projects around “Common Development”, to help refugees and asylum seekers living in Spain to adapt to the country. DIAKONIE (Austria) Refugees and asylum seekers carry with them tragic stories of The work of Diakonie Refugee Service includes counselling on torture, persecution, death and abuse. Once in Spain, they are legal and social affairs, psychotherapy for traumatized refugees, faced with great barriers and difficulties, such as a complex and accommodation for asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors as cumbersome asylum process, lack of information about their rights well as several integration projects. One of these projects is “Elongó”, and obligations, discrimination, lack of resources and an urgent which means “Together” in Lingala, a Central African language. The need to adapt to a new environment. These obstacles impede aim of Elongó is to support the integration of refugee families by full integration into the host society. The Common Development linking them with Austrians who become “buddies”. Project Elongó © Diakonie Austria. programme provides assistance to individual asylum seekers and refugees in Spain, taking a multi disciplinary approach composed of The buddies give something very important, their time! They spend socio-professional, legal and psychological help, to facilitate their time with the families, in their homes, or on the streets. They spend path to integration. time with refugee families, assist their integration, for example, through German lessons and introducing them to the Austrian way of life. Often real friendships bloom. Through Elongo, Diakonie Asylkoordination (Austria) provides workshops, trainings, discussion platforms and support Asylkoordination has implemented the project “New Orientations for the buddies. Elongó received the Diakonie Prize 2008 for its for Democracy in Europe” (NODE) on the political participation and innovative work in bringing Austrians and refugees together, as representation of refugees and asylum seekers in Europe. The real integration can only happen mutually. Elongó is a project of closing conference in Vienna was on 2-4 October. The NODE project the Diakonie Refugee Service in co-operation with the Austrian Red challenged common perceptions on asylum seekers and refugees, Cross. and aimed to change them from being considered as “victims” or “threats”, to actors for social and political change. Under an http://fluechtlingsdienst.diakonie.at/goto/de/was/integration/elong_ interdisciplinary approach (political science and social anthropology) x/aktivit_ten many studies were conducted in order to define possible practical solutions for political participation of refugees in France, Austria, the Czech Republic and at the EU level.

The results of the project show that refugees and asylum seekers can play a vital role in political and civic participation at EU level. The 220 participants to the three-day conference shared the outcomes Belgian Leo van Moorhem and Guinean Mohammed Sampil are two actors of the studies, animated three separate workshops on local in a Dutch/Flemish Bi-Ont movie about environmental displacement. © Dutch Council for Refugees.

16 Annual Report 2008 Dutch Council for Refugees (the Netherlands) Hebrew Immigrants’ Aid Society (HIAS Kiev, Ukraine) Bi-Ont is a special project of the Dutch Council for Refugees. The Problems faced by asylum seekers in Ukraine include xenophobic activities in the project stimulate interaction between refugees and attitudes towards aliens in the society at large. One countermeasure is the local population. This varies from creating art, a newspaper or a education, especially among children, and increased contact between movie, to several dinner projects where they cook and eat together. different groups in a controlled and friendly environment. With this The activities take place throughout the country. Over the past few is mind, HIAS Kiev provided an opportunity for refugee children to years the project has proved to be very successful. participate in the “Lessons of Tolerance” summer camp programme, July 2008, organised by Ukraine’s Congress of Ethnic Communities, In 2008 all activities were collected and published in a beautifully a local umbrella NGO for children from various backgrounds. The illustrated book. The enthusiastic stories of the participants “Lessons of Tolerance” camps have been operating since 2002 for demonstrate that by working together relationships between refugees more than 1,300 children, about 20 percent being Ukrainian with and locals can develop in a natural way. The book demonstrates to others representing the country’s many minorities. Last summer, ‘Back to home land’ of IEPF. possible sponsors the success of the project. The Dutch Council for the first refugee children to go to the Western Ukraine camp were Refugees hopes the book will inspire people to start their own Bi-Ont from Afghanistan and Chechnya and aged 9 to 15. The programme project. Added to the book is a manual for starting a Bi-Ont project, was made possible with the support of Ukraine’s Congress of Ethnic background information, outcomes and a DVD movie about the Communities, UNHCR, HIAS and the Danish Refugee Council activities.

“This was great! I made a lot of friends. I could go back any time,” commented International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF, Azerbaijan) Ahmed, 12, a refugee from Afghanistan now living with his family in Kharkiv. IEPF is engaged in various activities with refugees and internally displaced persons and integrates its work with the media. In 2008, IEPF engaged its volunteers in the project “Back to Home Land”. These volunteers are young people from all across the globe mostly France Terre d’Asile (FTDA, France) The ‘Lessons of Tolerance’ Summer Camp of HIAS. residing in Azerbaijan. In the project activities, the volunteers came In 2008, the Refugee Integration Observatory of FTDA, with the into close contact with refugees and internally displaced persons, support from the European Refugee Fund, undertook research, policy getting firsthand experience of the situation. The objective is to development and awareness raising activities on refugee integration. publish a book containing information and experiences gathered They produced four reports, covering local, European and international by these young volunteers, which will be distributed globally. issues. FTDA took advantage of the French Presidency of the EU’ s focus on migration and asylum to draw attention on the situation of refugees. In September, FTDA published a study examining the rights of beneficiaries of subsidiary protection in selected Member States, significantly contributing to the current revision process of the Qualification Directive carried out by the European Commission. Furthermore, the Refugee Integration Observatory organised a seminar on EU integration policies and published a report on best practices regarding access to housing for refugees in the EU.

ECRE 17 Miscellaneous

Danish Refugee Council (DRC, Denmark The International Rehabilitation Council for Victims of Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, patron Torture (IRCT, Denmark) of the DRC, paid a visit to refugee camps in Northern Uganda in Because a significant portion of refugees and asylum seekers September 2008. The purpose of the trip was for Princess Mary in Europe are torture survivors, the IRCT advocates for early to get a first impression of the many projects for refugees and recognition of those who have been subjected to torture and for internally displaced persons, which DRC is running in the country. prompt and appropriate rehabilitation care. Throughout the year, Uganda has experienced more than 20 years of brutal violence IRCT and its member organisations organised public events to raise in the war between the Lord’s Resistance army and the Ugandan awareness on torture and its consequences. In particular, they army. Furthermore, the visit of Princess Mary was an opportunity to emphasized the 26 June as the United Nations International Day generate greater understanding of the situation faced by refugees in Support of Victims of Torture. “Let’s erase torture” was IRCT’s and internally displaced persons in a country such as Uganda, theme for the 26 June global campaign in 2008. The IRCT produced Proud to throw away his prejudice: Markku Ojala/Finnish Red Cross. with extensive media coverage by the two largest TV-networks in an animated web-based game, as well as pencils and erasers, Denmark. that urged action to erase torture from our world. As part of the campaign, IRCT coordinated a Global Reading signed by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, IRCT’s President and Secretary-General. Finnish Red Cross (Finland) See more on: www.irct.org/Default.aspx?ID=766 The Finnish Red Cross repeated for a second year a campaign against racism, to mark the International Day for the elimination of racial discrimination, 21 March. Volunteers sometimes were Refugee Studies Centre (United Kingdom) dressed as rubbish collectors and given red rubbish containers. The Refugee Studies Centre at the University of Oxford, together They engaged people in the streets, in shopping centres, schools with the City University London, received a grant from the Paul and working places. They asked them to write down on paper at least Hamlyn Foundation to carry out research in 2007-2009 on life one prejudice or stereotypical idea they have, and then trash it! The processes, decisions and choices of young undocumented migrants papers were then burned, as prejudices are not worth saving and in Britain. The research team conducted 75 in-depth interviews recycling. The aim was to promote tolerance and encourage people with young migrants from Zimbabwe, Brazil, China, Turkey and the to reflect on their own prejudices, as well as encourage volunteers Ukraine. The findings describe their experiences of employment, to participate in the campaign. Mainstream diversity is everyone’s social networks, community involvement, links and obligations with business, and this campaign wanted to underline the fact that a friends and family in their country of origin. The project details how tolerant and diverse society is of benefit to us all. being undocumented impacts on the lives and the longer-term goals and aspirations of young migrants. The final report will be available mid 2009.

ECRE 19 ECRE ECRE Executive Committee 2008 Publications is composed by all ECRE publications are available at www.ecre.org/resources Chair Sally Daghlian Position papers Eduard Nazarski (retired, September 2008)

• ECRE’s Comments on the Proposal for a Council Regulation • Joint letter calling on EU Member States to resettle Palestinians Regional representatives amending the Long Term Residents Directive (March) from Iraq (July) North Central Europe • Sharing Responsibility for Refugee Protection in Europe: • ECRE statement on initial EU Response to the huge refugee Marta Pardavi, Hungarian Helsinki Committee Dublin Reconsidered (March) resettlement needs (September) South Central Europe • ECRE 2008 Iraq Survey: Five years on Europe is still ignoring its • LIBE Committee Public Hearing on Fundamental Rights in the EU Vladimir Petronijevic, Grupa 484, Serbia responsibilities towards Iraqi refugees (March) (October) Niculae Carcu, Romanian National Council for • Reception Directive: ECRE’s Proposal for Revisions (May) • Asylum is a duty for Europe: speech by EU Commissioner Refugees (stepped down, November 2008) • Country Reports 2007: Belarus, Moldova, Russian Federation, Jacques Barrot at the Paris general meeting (October) Goranka Lalic, Croatian Law Centre Ukraine (July) • The Paris Call for European Solidarity (November) (retired, March 2008) • The Impact of the EU Qualification Directive on International • Resettlement of Palestinian refugees from camps on the Nordic Region Protection (October) Syria-Iraq border: time to act! (November) Morten Tjessem, Norwegian Organisation for • Include Refugees and their families in EU Integration Policies • Struggling to survive on the Syria – Iraq Border (November) Asylum Seekers (November) • Memorandum to the Czech Presidency (December) Anne La Cour Vaagen, Danish Refugee Council • ECRE comments on EU plans to establish a European Asylum Mediterranean region Support Office EASO (December) Other information resources Iro Nicolacopoulou Stephanou, • Concrete Steps towards a European Resettlement Programme Press releases Greek Council for Refugees (December) www.ecre.org/resources/press_releases Pierre Henry, France Terre d’Asile German Speaking Region ECRE in Action ECRE Weekly Bulletins Karl Kopp, Pro Asyl, Germany www.ecre.org/resources/ECRE_weekly_bulletin UK & Ireland • Memorandum to the Justice and Home Affairs Council: Ending Keith Best, Immigration Advisory Service, UK the asylum lottery, guaranteeing refugee protection in Europe Benelux (April) Edwin Huizing, Dutch Council for Refugees • Joint ECRE and Amnesty International letter to the EU Parliament on the Returns Directive (May) Individual members • ECRE marks World Refugee Day in Belgium (June) Beat Meiner, Swiss Office for Refugees‘ Aid – OSAR • Memorandum to the French Presidency (June) (Treasurer) • UNHCR – ECRE joint European Advocacy Statement on Ignacio Diaz de Aguilar, Spanish Commission Resettlement (July) for Refugees’ Aid – CEAR

20 Annual Report 2008 1. AUSTRIA Integrating Ireland 28. TURKEY Asylkoordination www.integratingireland.ie Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly www.asyl.at 14. ITALY www.hyd.org.tr Diakonie/Protestant Refugee Service Italian Council for Refugees - CIR 29. UNITED KINGDOM Austria www.cir-onlus.org British Red Cross Society www.diakonie.at 15. LITHUANIA www.redcross.org.uk 2. AZERBAIJAN Lithuanian Red Cross Education Action International ECRE International Eurasia Press Fund www.redcross.lt www.education-action.org www.iepf-ngo.org 16. LUXEMBOURG Ethiopian Community Centre in the UK 3. BELGIUM Caritas Luxembourg www.eccuk.org International Rescue Committee – Belgium www.caritas.lu Immigration Law Practitioners www.theirc.org 17. THE NETHERLANDS Association - ILPA LIST OF MEMBER ORGANISATIONS 8 Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen Dutch Council for Refugees www.ilpa.org.uk (Flemish Refugee Action) www.vluchtelingenwerk.nl Immigration Advisory Service - IAS ECRE is first and foremost a membership organisation. www.vluchtelingenwerk.be University Assistance Foundation - UAF www.iasuk.org 4. BULGARIA www.uaf.nl Oxfam GB Bulgarian Helsinki Committee Pharos www.oxfam.org.uk The following organisations constitute our network 22 www.bghelsinki.org www.pharos.nl Refugee Action Bulgarian Red Cross 18. NORWAY www.refugee-action.org.uk www.redcross.bg Norwegian Organisation for Asylum Refugee Council 18 5. CROATIA Seekers www.refugeecouncil.org.uk 26 Croatian Law Centre www.noas.org Refugee Legal Centre www.hpc.hr Norwegian Refugee Council (Now called Refugee and Migrant Justice) 6. CZECH REPUBLIC www.nrc.no www.refugee-migrant-justice.org.uk Czech Organisation for the Aid to Refugees 19. POLAND Refugee Studies Centre - OPU Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights www.rsc.ox.ac.uk www.opu.cz www.hfhrpol.waw.pl Scottish Refugee Council Society for Citizens’ Assistance - SOZE 20. PORTUGAL www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk www.soze.cz Portuguese Refugee Council Welsh Refugee Council 7. DENMARK www.cpr.pt www.welshrefugeecouncil.org Danish Refugee Council 21. ROMANIA 15 7 www.drc.dk Romanian National Council 8. FINLAND for Refugees - CNRR INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS Finnish Red Cross www.cnrr.ro Amnesty International - 13 www.redcross.fi 22. Russian Federation International Secretariat Finnish Refugee Advice Centre Memorial Human Rights Centre www.amnesty.org 29 www.pakolaisneuvonta.fi www.memo.ru 9. FRANCE 23. SERBIA Conference of European Churches (CEC) Forum Refugies Group 484 / Churches Commission for Migrants in 19 17 www.forumrefugies.org www.grupa484.org.rs Europe (CCME) France Terre d’Asile Red Cross of Serbia www.ccme.be 10 www.france-terre-asile.org www.redcross.org.rs 10. GERMANY 24. SLOVAK REPUBLIC Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society - HIAS 3 Arbeiterwohlfahrt - AWO Bundesverband Slovak Humanitarian Council www.hias.org www.awo.org www.shr.sk 16 6 Der Paritätische Wolfahrtsverband 25. SPAIN International Catholic Migration Gesamtverband 24 Asociacion Comision Catolica Española Commission - ICMC www.der-paritaetische.de de Migracion - ACCEM www.icmc.net Deutscher Caritasverband www.accem.es 9 www.caritas.de Comision Española de Ayuda al Refugiado International Rehabilitation Council for 1 Diakonisches Werk der EKD - CEAR 12 Victims of Torture (Belgium) 21 www.diakonie.de www.cear.es www.irct.org 27 German Red Cross Comite Internacional de Rescate www.drk.de www.ongrescate.org Jesuit Refugee Service - Europe Pro Asyl 26. SWEDEN www.jrseurope.org www.proasyl.de Caritas Sweden 5 11. GREECE www.caritas.se Lutheran World Federation 23 Greek Council for Refugees Radda Bernen Sweden (Save the Children) (associate member) www.gcr.gr www.rb.se www.lutheranworld.org 4 12. HUNGARY Swedish Red Cross Hungarian Helsinki Committee www.redcross.se www.helsinki.hu Swedish Refugee Aid 14 Hungarian Association for Migrants www.swera.se 25 - Menedek 27. SWITZERLAND 20 www.menedek.hu Office Suisse d’Aide aux Réfugiés 28 13. IRELAND – OSAR/SFH Irish Refugee Council www.osar.ch 11 2 www.irishrefugeecouncil.ie

ECRE 21 Financial FIGUREs* thanks to our donors

2008 2007 Unrestricted Grants Restricted Grants Donations for Relocation ECRE wishes to thank the following institutions and private foundations Membership Fees Conference Fees & Publications Other Income for their generous support Income (£) (£) Unrestricted Grants 870,498 792,117 EUROPEAN COMMISSION, including • Education and Culture DG, Europe for Citizens Programme Restricted Grants 406,757 357,409 • Enlargement DG, CARDS Programme (ended February 2008) Donations (relocation) 41,386 25,943 • Justice, Freedom and Security DG, AENEAS Programme Membership Fees 212,000 200,627 Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MATRA Programme Conference Fees and Publications 51,382 130,432 German Embassy in the Ukraine, project funding Other income 18,477 5,768 Foundations Total income 1,600,500 1,512,296 • The Atlantic Philanthropies Expenditure (£) (£) • The Sigrid Rausing Trust • Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust Advocacy, Policy and Information 725,513 618,810 • The Barrow Cadbury Trust Focus projects 320,317 458,076 2008 Sources of income 2007 2008 Expenditure 2007 Strategic partner Support Cost and Governance 362,188 375,476 The Dutch Council for Refugees Relocation 135,577 138,991 Total Expenditure 1,543,595 1,591,353 Balance of Funds on 31 December (£) (£) Unrestricted funds 233,325 229,357 Restricted Funds (25,444) (77,637) Total Funds on 31 December 207,881 151,720

* (2008 financial figures pending final audit)

The Sigrid Rausing Advocacy, Policy and Information Focus Projects Trust Support Cost and Governance Relocation

22 Annual Report 2008 Bjarte Vandvik General Secretary

Elisabeth Chamberlain Executive and Membership Assistant

Elona Bokshi ECRE structure Executive Assistant and staff Finances, Administration Communications Advocacy and Eastern Europe team South Eastern Europe Project and Resources Development The following have worked at ECRE during 2008.

Willa Geertsema Sophie Peresson Chris Nash Rachel Bugler Berend Jonker Interim Head of Finances Communications Manager Head of Policy and Advocacy E.E. joint project coordinator S.E.E. Project Coordinator and Integration Officer Catherine Massey Ana López Fontal Patricia Coelho Claire Rimmer Administration and Resources Manager Media and Information Officer Head of Advocacy and Development E.E. joint project coordinator Masha Perovich S.E.E. Project Officer Ann Cassano Jan Brulc María Duro Mansilla Liisa Kaarto Administration and Human Resources Web Project and Information Officer Research officer E.E. project officer Manager Paul McDonough Julia Zelvenskaya Giuditta Andreaus Research officer NGO Support Officer External Relations Manager Annette Bombeke Linda Kilworth Advocacy officer Finance Officer Anne Peeters Helene David Advocacy officer Events and Administration Support Officer Magdalena Kmak Legal Officer Tatiana Sumari Finance Assistant Alexander de Chalus Policy Support Officer ECRE also wishes to thank the volunteers, Claudia Caremans interns and work placements students who Administration Assistant worked for ECRE during 2008:

Claudia Bonamini Lisa Brandt Helene David Beth Fernandez Katinka Huszar Elsa Lovato Antoine Mertzeisen María Duro Mansilla Idil Lambo Paul McDonough Lilian Tsourdi Rachel Brown an nual re port 20 08

Working Together to Protect and Respect Refugees