Co-ordinated by: Last updated: October 2020 Julia Zelvenska Head of Legal Support and Litigation European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) Rue Royale 146, 1st floor 1000 Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 (2) 212 0814 Fax: +32 (2) 514 5922 E-mail: [email protected] CONTENTS A. Introduction Preface i European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) ii Introduction to ELENA iii B. Countries Austria 1 Belgium 8 Bosnia-Herzegovina 13 Bulgaria 15 Croatia 19 Cyprus 23 Czech Republic 26 Denmark 28 Estonia 32 Finland 34 France 37 Germany 47 Greece 57 Hungary 62 Iceland 65 Ireland 68 Italy 73 Latvia 87 Lithuania 89 Luxembourg 91 Malta 94 The Netherlands 97 Norway 102 Poland 108 Portugal 111 Romania 114 Russia 117 Serbia 121 Slovak Republic 125 Slovenia 128 Spain 133 Sweden 145 Switzerland 153 Turkey 156 Ukraine 159 United Kingdom 161 C. UNHCR Offices 165 D. Format of the country chapters In general the country chapters are structured as follows: I. ELENA NATIONAL COORDINATOR Name and address of the person who serves as the contact and coordination person for the ELENA network for the country in question. II. NATIONAL UMBRELLA ORGANISATIONS / REFUGEE COUNCILS National umbrella organisations of voluntary agencies, counselling offices and lawyers who exercise a coordinating function. III. ORGANISATIONS SUPPORTING ASYLUM SEEKERS Voluntary agencies, counselling centres and other humanitarian organisations dealing with counselling, housing, financial support, integration and other social problems of asylum seekers during the asylum procedure. IV. ORGANISATIONS PROVIDING ADVICE TO ASYLUM SEEKERS Non-Governmental Organisations and voluntary agencies providing legal advice and assistance to asylum seekers. Where available, the following additional information is also prov ided: *LA – denotes that legal aid is provided **Eng, Ger, Fr, It, etc. – denotes languages spoken within the organisation ***Denotes fields of specialisations e.g. unaccompanied minors, traumatised asylum seekers, etc. V. LAWYERS PROVIDING ADVICE TO ASYLUM SEEKERS Lawyers working in the asylum field and providing legal services to asylum seekers. Where available, the following additional information is also provided: *LA – denotes that legal aid is provided **Eng, Ger, Fr, It, etc. – denotes languages spoken within the firm *** Denotes fields of specialisations e.g. unaccompanied minors, traumatised asylum seekers, etc. VI. AIRPORT / BORDER SERVICES Lawyers and legal counsellors on call at airports and border control offices, available to provide support and emergency services. VII. LEGAL AID This section is intended to provide a short explanation of each Member State’s national legislation/policy on legal aid and its provision. VIII. LAWYERS AND LEGAL EXPERTS WITH AN OVERALL KNOWLEDGE OF REFUGEE LAW AND POLICY Lawyers, legal experts and academics who serve as sources of information on questions related to refugee law and policy. PREFACE The ELENA Index of useful addresses lists organisations and individuals providing legal services and other forms of support to refugees and asylum seekers in Europe. It is not intended to be a complete directory of all organisations and persons active in the asylum field, but reflects the information provided by the ELENA Coordinators in the various countries. This list is only indicative of lawyers and organisations operating in this field and is not a formal endorsement by the ELENA network. The ELENA Index is meant to serve as a tool for lawyers and legal counsellors participating in the European Legal Network on Asylum in their daily counselling and advocacy work. It provides addresses of colleagues and organisations in other countries which are useful when working with refugee and asylum law. The ELENA Index is updated on an annual co-ordinated basis from the ECRE Secretariat. For more up-to-date information, additions, corrections and comments please contact the ELENA National Coordinators in the respective country or Julia Zelvenska at the ECRE Secretariat via e-mail: [email protected] This document is for internal use by agencies dealing with refugees and asylum seekers. It can be distributed to individuals with links to such an agency. i EUROPEAN COUNCIL ON REFUGEES AND EXILES The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) is a pan-European alliance of 106 NGOs in 40 European countries. It was established in 1974 and has grown rapidly in recent years, reflecting European civil society’s continued commitment to the right to asylum. ECRE’s mission is to protect and advance the rights of refugees, asylum-seekers and other forcibly displaced persons in Europe and in Europe’s external policies. Its diverse membership ranges from large INGOs with global presence to small organisations of dedicated activists. Members’ work covers the full circle of displacement from zones of conflict, to the dangerous routes and arrival in Europe, to long-term inclusion in European societies, with their activities including humanitarian relief, social service provision, legal assistance, litigation, monitoring policy and law, advocacy and campaigning. ii INTRODUCTION TO ELENA The European Legal Network on Asylum (ELENA) extends across most European states and involves over 500 lawyers and legal counsellors. The network is coordinated by the Secretariat of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) in Brussels in close consultation with the ELENA National Coordinators from 36 European countries. National co-ordinators of the network include legal practitioners, academics and legal officers in ECRE member organisations. Our objectives: 1. reinforce contact between legal practitioners in different European countries to promote cooperation on individual and strategic cases in the area of asylum; 2. bring national legislation, policies and practices relating to refugees in Europe in compliance with international and EU law; 3. organise training on specific topics relating to refugee law for practising lawyers; 4. promote the development of national networks of legal practitioners specialising in asylum law. iii AUSTRIA ( +43) I. ELENA COORDINATORS Olivia Schöfl Iris Schönböck Diakonie Flüchtlingsdienst gem. GmbH Caritas Austria Steinergasse 3/12, A-1170 Vienna Albrechtskreithgasse 19-21 Tel: +43 (0) 1 402 67 54 A-1160 Vienna Fax: +43 (0) 402 67 54 16 Tel: +43 664 82 669 34, E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +43 (0) 1/488 31-9400 E-mail: [email protected] II. NATIONAL UMBRELLA Department for Integration, ORGANISATIONS / Migration and Asylum NATIONAL REFUGEE Tel.: +43 (0)1 488 31-448 Fax: +43 (0)1 488 31-9400 COUNCILS E-Mail: [email protected] Web: www.caritas.at Asylkoordination Burggasse 81/7 A-1070 Vienna III. ORGANISATIONS Tel.: +43 (0)1 532 1291 E-Mail: [email protected] SUPPORTING ASYLUM Web: www.asyl.at SEEKERS Austrian Asylum Lawyers’ Network VIENNA: (Netzwerk AsylAnwalt) Coordinator: Österreichische Österreichische Caritaszentrale, Caritaszentrale Coordinator of the EU-project for Albrechtskreithgasse19-21 voluntary return (IRMA) A-1160 Vienna Albrechtskreithgasse 19-21 Tel.: +43 (0)1 488 31-442 A-1160 Vienna Fax: +43 (0)1 488 31 9400 Tel: +43 (0)1 488 31-447 E-Mail: [email protected] Fax: +43 (0)1 488 31-9400 Web: www.asylanwalt.at E-Mail: ** German, English [email protected] *** network providing legal Web: https://www.caritas.at/hilfe- representation beratung/migrantinnen- for asylum seekers in selected strategic fluechtlinge/beratung- cases (mainly before the supreme courts); vertretung/rueckkehrhilfe- for participating lawyers and organisations reintegration/irma-rueckkehrberatung/ see website ** German, English *** return assistance Diakonie Flüchtlingsdienst gem. GmbH (Refugee Service) Österreichische Caritaszentrale, Steinergasse 3/12 Coordinator of the EU-project for 1170 Vienna reintegration (IRMA plus) Tel.: +43 (0)1 402 67 54 Albrechtskreithgasse 19-21 Fax: +43 (0)1 402 67 54-16 A-1160 Vienna E-Mail: [email protected] Tel: +43 (0)1 488 31-447 Web: www.fluechtlingsdienst.diakonie.at Fax: +43 (0)1 488 31-9400 E-Mail: Österreichische Caritaszentrale [email protected] Albrechtskreithgasse 19-21 Web: https://www.caritas.at/hilfe- A-1160 Vienna beratung/migrantinnen- 1 AUSTRIA ( +43) fluechtlinge/beratung- Caritas Wien Asylzentrum vertretung/rueckkehrhilfe- Spitalgasse 5-9 reintegration/irma-plus / A-1090 Vienna ** German, English E-Mail: [email protected] ***reintegration assistance Web: https://www.caritas-wien.at/hilfe- angebote/asyl-integration/beratung-fuer- Asyl in Not fluechtlinge/ Währingerstrasse 59/2/1 ** German, English A-1090 Vienna *** various, i.a. general legal advice and Michael Genner representation in asylum cases, social work, Tel.: +43 (0) 1 408 42 10 advice and representation for victims of Fax: +43 (0) 1 405 28 88 gender based violence including victims of E-Mail: [email protected] human trafficing, return assistance Web: www.asyl-in-not.at ** German, English, French, Russian, Caritas Vienna: Counseling for Farsi, Arabic, Turkish immigrants Mommsengasse 35 Deserteurs- und A-1040 Vienna Flüchtlingsberatung Wien Tel: + 43 (0) 1 406 10 11 40 Schottengasse 3a/1/4/59 E-Mail: [email protected] A-1010 Vienna Web: https://www.caritas-wien.at/hilfe- Tel.: +43 (0) 1 533 72 71 ; Fax: +43 (0) 1 532 74 16 angebote/asyl-integration/beratung-fuer- E-Mail: [email protected] migrantinnen/ Web: www.deserteursberatung.at ** German, English ** German, English (others on request: e.g. *** various, including