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Unhcr Study on the Implementation of the Dublin Iii Regulation

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Unhcr Study on the Implementation of the Dublin Iii Regulation LEFT IN LIMBO UNHCR STUDY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DUBLIN III REGULATION LEFT IN LIMBO UNHCR STUDY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DUBLIN III REGULATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research was coordinated by Silvia Cravesana in UNHCR’s Bureau for Europe (Policy and Legal Support Unit). This report was written by Silvia Cravesana and Maria Hennessy. This report brings together the main findings of national reports produced by Lucienne Joergensen (Denmark), Claire Callejon (France), Aida Worku (Germany), Aliki-Eleni Georgiadi (Greece), Pietro Sullo (Italy), Paolo Biondi (Malta), Vigdis Vevstad (Norway), Marta Gorczynska (Poland), Cynthia Orchard and Helen-Marie Fraher (United Kingdom). Particular thanks go to staff in UNHCR’s national offices in France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland and the United Kingdom, and in the Regional Representations for Western and Northern Europe for their important contributions. Appreciation is also extended to Reem Alsalem, Lucie Bichet, Sam Boutruche, Zoé Campiglia, Elena Colunga Caballero, Kate Connelly, Cathryn Costello, Alexander de Châlus, Yolande Ditewig, Madeline Garlick, Kristof Gombeer, Sophie Magennis, Hugh Massey, Maeve Patterson, Cornelia Schick, Juliette Tassy, Andrea Vonkeman and Cornelis Wouters for their inputs and support. Particular thanks also go to the colleagues in other organizations who provided advice and inputs in the initial phase of this research: Anneliese Baldaccini (Amnesty International), Daphné Bouteillet (ECRE) and Marc Provera (JRS). Finally, UNHCR expresses its sincere gratitude to Member State officials, representatives of organizations, lawyers, asylum-seekers and many others who agreed to be interviewed and provided information in the course of this research. © UNHCR, August 2017 This document is for general distribution. All rights reserved. Reproduction and translation is authorized, except for commercial purposes, provided UNHCR is acknowledged as the source. Cover photo: Altaf holds out his palm revealing his wife’s passport photograph. His wife and two of his children are in Germany where they have applied for asylum. Altaf and his oldest son Majd are in Athens, Greece. They hope to reunite with their family members who are awaiting a decision on their application for international protection in Germany. © UNHCR / A. D’Amato / June 2014. Layout & Design: BakOS DESIGN 4 LEFT IN LIMBO: UNHCR study on the implementation of the Dublin III Regulation TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................................................................................................8 INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................................................................................9 1. Background, aims and scope of the study ........................................................................................................................9 2. Methodology ............................................................................................................................................................................. 10 Selection of the countries surveyed .............................................................................................................................. 10 Research methods ................................................................................................................................................................ 10 3. Terminology, statistics and translations ........................................................................................................................ 14 Use of terminology ............................................................................................................................................................... 14 Use of statistics ...................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Translations ............................................................................................................................................................................. 15 4. The Dublin system: legal framework .............................................................................................................................. 16 5. The Dublin system and European Human Rights law: an overview .................................................................. 17 I. PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS FOR APPLICANTS IN THE DUBLIN PROCEDURE ............................................. 23 1. Provision of information ....................................................................................................................................................... 23 The provision of information to applicants in the Dublin procedure ............................................................... 23 Methods of providing information ................................................................................................................................. 25 Provision of information to unaccompanied children ............................................................................................ 28 Information providers & quality of the information provided ............................................................................ 30 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................................... 34 Recommendations ................................................................................................................................................................ 35 2. Personal Interview .................................................................................................................................................................. 36 Scope of the interview ......................................................................................................................................................... 36 Training and qualifications of interviewers ................................................................................................................. 39 Identifying and interviewing applicants with specific needs ............................................................................... 40 Grounds for the omission of the interview ................................................................................................................. 43 The interview environment ............................................................................................................................................... 44 Recording of the interview and access to the interview record ......................................................................... 44 Use of interpreters ............................................................................................................................................................... 46 5 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................................... 48 Recommendations ................................................................................................................................................................ 49 3. Guarantees for children ........................................................................................................................................................ 50 Best interests assessment ................................................................................................................................................. 52 Age assessment ...................................................................................................................................................................... 64 The representative for unaccompanied children ..................................................................................................... 70 Family tracing ......................................................................................................................................................................... 75 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................................... 82 Recommendations ................................................................................................................................................................ 82 II. DETERMINING MEMBER STATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR EXAMINING AN APPLICATION FOR INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION ................................................................................................ 85 1. Respect for the hierarchy of criteria ............................................................................................................................... 86 2. Proof and evidence required .............................................................................................................................................. 88 3. Assigning Member State responsibility on the basis of selected criteria ....................................................... 91 Unaccompanied children (Article 8) .............................................................................................................................
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