J U R I D I C U M Challenging States’ Reliance on the Aznar Protocol and Related EU Secondary Law An Assessment of Admissibility Issues at the European Court of Human Rights Mikaela Graae Spring 2015 RV4460 Law, Advanced Course (Bachelor thesis), 15 Credits Examiner: Anna Gustafsson Tutor: Tarik Radwan Abstract The EU defines a refugee as only including third-country nationals and stateless persons. The Aznar Protocol provides in essence that asylum claims from nationals of EU Member States should be considered manifestly unfounded. 1 Therefore, EU nationals are basically excluded from the possibility to acquire asylum in other EU countries. This paper examines the legal challenges that an otherwise bona fide refugee originating from an EU country would face if he were to bring a case to the ECtHR. A legal dogmatic method is used to establish the applicable law for the challenges.2 The purpose of this paper is to highlight that bona fide refugee claims from EU nationals to other EU countries are unlikely to succeed and that there are challenges for the ECtHR to hear such a case. If someone would bring a case before the Court it would be plausible to do so under either Article 6(1), 13, 14 or 1 of Protocol No 12 ECHR.3 The challenges for the Court to hear such a case are admissibility issues under the Articles, but also to overcome the doctrine of equivalent protection. The conclusion reached in this paper is that only Article 1 of Protocol No 12 could lead to a judgment on the merits. If the challenges on admissibility are overcome, the doctrine of equivalent protection opposes an additional challenge for the Court to hear such a case. This paper concludes that the doctrine is unlikely to be applied in a case where someone were to contest a State’s reliance on the Aznar Protocol and the refugee definition in EU secondary law at the Court. Therefore, the challenges can be overcome but they restrict the scope of which States can be held responsible for relying on the Aznar Protocol and related secondary EU law. 1 Consolidated Version of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union [2012] OJ C326/1 (hereinafter to be referred to as: ‘the Treaties’), 305. 2 Fredrik Korling and Mauro Zamboni, Juridisk Metodlära (Studentlitteratur AB 2013) 21. 3 Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (open for signature 4 November 1950, entered into force 3 September 1953) CETS No 5 (hereinafter to be referred to as: ‘ECHR’). 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48321/99, ECHR 2002-II (extracts)…15 Table of Legislation International Legislation Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union [2012] OJ C326/391 Art 18………………………..……………………………………………...........…….…5 Art 19………………………..………………………………………………………...9, 12 Conclusions on countries in which there is generally no serious risk of persecution (adopted on 30 November and 1 December 1992 by the Immigration Ministers) SN 4821/92 WGI 1281 ASIM 145 Art 1……………..……………………………………………………………………….10 Consolidated Version of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union [2012] OJ C326 Art 2……………………………………………………………………………………...8 Art 6………………..…………………………………………………………………….5 Art 20..………………..………………………………………………………………….6 Art 78.………………..………………………………………………………..……1, 5–6 Art 267.………………..………………………………………………………………..23 Protocol 24..………………….………………………………………………….……1, 9 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (adopted 28 July 1951, entered into force 22 April 1954) 189 UNTS 137 Art 1……………..…………………………………………………….…………..…….1 Art 3……………..……………………………………………………………..………. 1 Art 42……………..……………………………………………………………...……...7 Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (open for signature 4 November 1950, entered into force 3 September 1953) CETS No 5 Art 6…………..………………………………………………………………...............15 Art 13…………..………………………………………………………………...…14, 16 Art 14…………..………………………………………………………………..….14, 16 Art 35………………..……………………………………………………………...15, 18 Art 1 of Protocol No 12…………..……………………………………...……..14, 17–18 Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty on European Union, the Treaties Establishing the European Communities and Certain Related Acts [1997] OJ C340 Declaration by Belgium on the Aznar Protocol…………………………………….…..11 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted 10 December 1948 UNGA Res 217 A(III) Art 14…………………………………………………………………………..….4, 7, 12 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (adopted 23 May 1969, entered into force 27 January 1980) 1155 UNTS 331 Art 26…………………………………………………………………………...………..7 Treaty Establishing the European Economic Community (adopted 25 March 1957, entered into force 1 January 1958) 298 UNTS 11 Art 177……………………………………………………………….……………..…..23 European Union Legislation European Parliament and Council Directive 2011/95/EU of 13 December 2011 on standards for the qualification of third-country nationals or stateless persons as beneficiaries of international protection, for a uniform status for refugees or for persons eligible for subsidiary protection, and for the content of the protection granted [2011] OJ L337/9 Art 2……………………………………………………………….………..……...……6 European Parliament and Council Directive 2013/32/EU of 26 June 2013 on common procedures for granting and withdrawing international protection [2013] OJ L180/60 Art 2.…………………………………………………………….………..………...…...6 European Parliament and Council Regulation No 604/2013 of 26 June 2013 on establishing the criteria and mechanisms for determining the Member State responsible for examining an application for international protection lodged in one of the Member States by a third-country