Newsletter - May 2016 · EASO Newsletter May 2016 - 3 The top ten citizenship groups in April 2016...

European Asylum Support Office

ISSN: 1977-4818

SUPPORT IS OUR MISSION

European Asylum Support OfficeNewsletter - May 2016

CONTENTSLatest asylum trends and main countries of origin ….............................2Pre-registration exercise in Greece.........................................................4Proposal for a Regulation on the European Union Agency for Asylum.....4€25 million in emergency funding for EASO............................................5EASO in Brussels’s Open Doors Event 28 May 2016.................................6EASO’s Migration Research Conference in Malta....................................7Eritrea COI Specialist Meeting in Malta...................................................78th Meeting of the Group for the provision of statistics.........................7Stories from Hotspots..............................................................................8LIBE MEPs visiting Greece.......................................................................9EASO Training Curriculum......................................................................10EASO Cooperation on Courts and Tribunals...........................................11EASO’s Photographic Exhibition............................................................12EASO notices (including vacancies) ..................................................... 13

PRE-REGISTRATION EXERCISE IN GREECE

The pre-registration of asylum seekers residing in open reception facilities in mainland begins this June

European Asylum Support Office (EASO) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will support the Greek Asylum Service to conduct a pre-registration exercise for international protection in the mainland from beginning of June to end of July with the financial support of the European Commission (DG Home).

Read more on page 4>

€25 million in emergency funding for EASO

On 24 May 2016, the European Commission has announced awarding €25 million in emergency funding to enhance

its capacity to further support the Greek authorities. These additional resources will be used to support the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement and the EU emergency relocation scheme.


Proposal for a Regulation on the European Union Agency for Asylum

The most important aim of this proposal, launched on 4 May 2916, is to strengthen the

role of EASO and develop it into an agency which facilitates the implementation and improves the functioning of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). Since taking up its responsibilities in 2011, EASO has continuously supported Member States to apply the current rules and to improve the functioning of existing tools.


Quick Link:Between January and April 2016, about 412.000 asylum applications were lodged across EU+countries. See page 2>https://www.easo.europa.eu/information-analysis/analysis-and-statistics/

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NEWLY DESIGNED EASO WEBSITE:EASO has launched newly designed websiteVisit us: https://www.easo.europa.eu/

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Photo Exhibition on EASO’s premisesEASO AND THE HOTSPOTS, a photographic exhibition of EASO’s work in the Hotspots on the occasion of the 5th Anniversary of the establishment of EASO.



2 - EASO Newsletter May 2016

Latest asylum trends

Latest asylum trends and main countries of origin 1. Number of applicantions for international protection in the EU+1 in April 2016

2. Main countries of origin of applicants in EU+ countries in March 2016

1.The EU+ is composed of EU-28 plus Norway and Switzerland. The share of repeated applicants is the proportion of repeated applicants in the total number of applicants for international protection. The share of UAM (unaccompanied minors) represents the proportion of asylum applicants claiming to be below the age of 18 years in the total number of applicants rather than those assessed to be such after an age assessment has been carried out.2. Data were available for all 30 EU+ countries.

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EU+ countries recorded around 104 000 applications for international protection during April 2016. This total number represented a slight increase of 4 % compared to the previous month. Considering applications lodged in April 2015, the total number of asylum applications was still 62 % higher. Between January and April 2016, about 412 000 applications were lodged across EU+ countries; more than the yearly number of applications recorded between 2008 and 2012.

The number of applicants who claimed to be unaccompanied minors (UAMs) at the moment of lodging an application rose to 2 460. As a share of the total population of applicants, UAM represented 2.4 %, one of the lowest shares reported since monthly data are collected. This rise was mainly driven by a sharp increase of Afghan UAMs which nearly doubled from 595 in March to 1 116 in April. Afghan UAMs represented 45 % of all UAM applicants followed by Somalia (8 %), the Gambia (6 %) and Pakistan (5 %).

Syria remained the main citizenship for the twelfth consecutive month with 29 542 applications. Afghan and Iraqi nationals were the second and third most represented citizenships, with 14 664 and 11 796 applications, respectively. Altogether, these three citizenships accounted for 54 % of all applications in the EU+. As a group, applicants from Western Balkan (WB) countries remained in fourth position with 5 215 applications on a par with March 2016. Despite a 9 % decrease, Pakistan remained the fifth main country of origin of applicants in the EU+.

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EASO Newsletter May 2016 - 3

The top ten citizenship groups in April 2016 also included Iran, Nigeria, Russia, Eritrea and unknown citizenship. The citizenships remained the same ones as for March 2016 with significant increases reported for Nigeria, Russia and Eritrea.

Syria – Syrian citizens lodged 29 542 applications in EU+ countries in April and represented about 30 % of the applications lodged in the EU+. Compared to March, 9 % less Syrian nationals applied, while compared to April 2015 the level of applications nearly tripled. 17 EU+ countries recorded Syrian nationals in their top three citizenships.

Iraq – The number of Iraqi applicants decreased by 4 % between March and April to 11 796. This level however remained more than three times higher than in the same month in 2015. Only 8 EU + countries reported Iraqi applicants in their top three citizenships in April, down from 15 in March.

Afghanistan – After four months of decreases, applications lodged by Afghan nationals increased by 23 % to 14 664 in April, a level that remained 2.5 times higher than one year before. The number of Afghan claimed UAMs also rose sharply to 1 116 applications in April. Yet this number remained well below the 11 000 Afghan UAM reported in November 2015. 16 EU+ countries reported Afghan applicants in their top three citizenships.

Western Balkan nationals (WB) – The number of WB nationals applying for international protection in the EU+ remained stable in April with 5 215 applications. Within the group of WB applicants, Albanian nationals accounted for the largest share (43 % of all WB applicants), followed by Kosovar and Serbian applicants (each about 19 %). Contrary to nationals from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan where higher volumes of applications than last year were registered, applications from WB nationals clearly dropped compared to the 16 331 applications lodged in April 2015.

3. Number and type of decisions issued in first instance in EU+ countries

For the second consecutive month since August 2015, the number of first instance decisions issued in the EU+ decreased to 77 423 decisions or 9%. Despite this drop, the number of first instance decisions issued remained nearly twice as large as the level recorded in April 2015. The share of positive decisions was 57 % of the total decisions in first instance in the EU+, two percentage points higher than in March 2016.

A total of 29 396 decisions were issued to Syrian applicants, a 6 % decrease compared to March 2016. Syrian nationals however still represented the largest citizenship to whom first instance decisions were issued: 38 % of all decisions issued in the EU+ involved a Syrian applicant. If 98 % of decisions for Syrian nationals resulted in the granting of some form of international protection: 76.8 % resulted in refugee status, 21.2 % in subsidiary protection. In other words, a clear progression of decisions granting subsidiary protection was noted. 5 630 decisions were taken on Iraqi cases a similar number as last month. With a recognition rate of 61 %, three percentage points lower than in March, Iraqi nationals remained below the eligibility threshold of 75 % for relocation for the fourth month running. The number of decisions issued on Afghan cases (3 800) increased by 16 %, while the recognition rate dropped by four more percentage points to 44 %.

For the other citizenships in the top ten, the number of first-instance decisions issued in April decreased compared to March for WB nationals (Albania, Serbia and Kosovo) as well as for Eritrean, Nigerian and Pakistani nationals. On the contrary, more decisions, mostly positive, were taken for stateless applicants (1 324).

Additonal data and reportsQuarterly reports are available here:https://www.easo.europa.eu/information-analysis/analysis-and-statistics/quarterly-asylum-report

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PRE-REGISTRATION EXERCISE IN GREECE

European Asylum Support Office (EASO) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will support the Greek Asylum Service to conduct a pre-registration exercise for international protection in the mainland from beginning of June to end of July with the financial support of the European Commission (DG Home).

The pre-registration exercise will take several weeks to conclude, but all those who arrived in Greece before 20 March, wishing to apply for international protection in Greece and are currently residing on the mainland will be able to pre-register.

EASO’s Information provision experts informing about relocation programme and the upcoming pre-registration in Skaramagas site

The pre-registration exercise is the first step to apply for international protection in Greece, which could eventually lead to:

(i) examination of the application for international protection by the Greek authorities, and potential recognition of beneficiary of international protection, or

(ii) transfer to another EU Member State in the context of Dublin III provisions, or,

(iii) transfer to another EU Member State in the context of the relocation scheme.

Before and during the pre-registration exercise, information will be provided on the available options to those concerned, through leaflets and information teams deployed to the open accommodation sites.

The International Organization for Migration will also participate in order to provide information on voluntary repatriation to the countries of origin to those interested.

Those wishing to be pre-registered must be physically present during this exercise, including any members of their family. A photo will be taken of each individual during this exercise.

At the end of the pre-registration an asylum seeker card will be issued for each individual.

EASO’s Information provision experts informing about relocation programme and the upcoming pre-registration in Skaramagas site

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Union Agency for Asylum and repealing Regulation (EU) No 439/2010The most important aim of this proposal, launched on 4 May 2916, is to strengthen the role of EASO and develop it into an agency which facilitates the implementation and improves the functioning of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS).

Since taking up its responsibilities in 2011, EASO has continuously supported Member States to apply the current rules and to improve the functioning of existing tools.

Reasons for and objectives of the proposal

On 6 April 2016, the Commission adopted a Communication entitled “Towards a reform of the Common European Asylum System and enhancing legal avenues to Europe”, in which it set out its priorities for improving the Common European Asylum System (CEAS).

The Commission announced, in response to calls by the European Council, that it would progressively work towards reforming the existing Union framework by establishing a sustainable and fair system for determining the Member States responsible for asylum seekers, by reinforcing the EURODAC system, by achieving greater convergence in the asylum system thereby preventing secondary movements, and by developing an enhanced mandate for the European Asylum Support Office (EASO).

This proposal is being presented as part of a first package of reform of the CEAS together with two other

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proposals, namely a proposal to reform the Dublin system and another proposal amending the EURODAC system.

The Agency has gained experience and earned credibility for its work as regards practical cooperation among Member States and in supporting them to implement their obligations under the CEAS.

In time, the tasks undertaken by EASO progressively evolved so as to meet the growing needs of Member States and of the CEAS as a whole.

The Member States increasingly rely on the operational and technical support of the Agency. The Agency increased its knowledge and experience in the field of asylum and it is time to transform it into a centre of expertise in its own right and not one that still significantly relies on information and expertise provided by Member States. In the Commission’s view, the Agency is one of the tools that can be used to effectively address the structural weaknesses in the CEAS which have been further exacerbated by large scale and uncontrolled arrival of migrants and asylum seekers to the European Union particularly during the past year.

It would not be plausible to reform the CEAS without providing the Agency with a mandate that corresponds to the demands that the reform will entail.

It is essential to equip the Agency with the means necessary to assist Member States in crisis situations, but it is all the more necessary to build a solid legal, operational and practical framework for the Agency to be able to reinforce and complement the asylum and reception systems of Member States.

To reflect this development, the proposal renames EASO as the European Union Agency for Asylum.

An enhanced mandate, as set out in this proposal transforms EASO into a fully-fledged Agency which is capable of providing the necessary operational and technical assistance to Member States, increasing practical cooperation and information exchange among Member States, supporting a sustainable and fair distribution of applications for international protection, monitoring and assessing the implementation of the CEAS and the capacity of asylum and reception systems in Member States, and enabling convergence in the assessment of applications for international protection across the Union.

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Commission has awarded €25 million in emergency funding to the European Asylum Support Office for capacity building in GreeceOn 24 May 2016, the European Commission has announced awarding €25 million in emergency funding to the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) to enhance its capacity to further support the Greek authorities.

These additional resources will be used to support the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement and the EU emergency relocation scheme.

The funding is provided under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and will allow for the deployment of additional Member State experts and interpreters, and the set-up of mobile EASO offices in the hotspots to assist with processing asylum applications.

Commissioner Avramopoulos said in this context: “EU Agencies are playing a crucial role in supporting the Greek authorities on the ground, providing practical expertise and operational support.”

Also, the Commissioner highlighted the fact that European Commission “is supporting these deployments through emergency EU funding. I call on Member States to quickly make available the necessary staff to help EASO deliver the planned support and give a boost to the EU relocation scheme. This is key to addressing the humanitarian situation on the ground.”

The funding is part of the emergency response plan developed together by the Commission, the Greek authorities and relevant stakeholders to address the ongoing humanitarian situation on the ground and implement the EU-Turkey Statement of 18 March.

Quick LinkThe official proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the European Union Agency for Asylum and repealing Regulation (EU) No 439/2010: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/european-agenda-migration/proposal-implementation-package/docs/20160504/easo_proposal_en.pdf

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EASO participated to the 22nd Edition of the Open Doors Day of the European Commission

Keeping a long-standing tradition, on 28 May European Commission hosted in Brussels the 22nd Edition of the Open Doors Event.

At the heart of this day, EASO had the opportunity of explaining more about its practical actions, its main priorities, as well as the wide range of work that it does on the ground, in the Hotspots in Greece and Italy.

EASO stand in Brussels for the Open Doors Day

Throughout the day spent within the European Commission premises, visitors had the opportunity of taking a walking tour through five ‘villages’ illustrating the Commission’s main priorities – Employment, Growth and Investment; the Single Digital Market; the Energy Union and Climate; Migration; Citizenship and Multilingualism – and get the facts about the Commission’s work in an entertaining and interactive way.

EASO was present in the Migration Village, where visitors were able to learn about the journey made by migrants, indeed adding to their knowledge of the European Union policies in migration field with the help of a large number of displays, where several videos were explaining the work done in this sensitive and important domain.

Many interesting activities have been accompanying visitors’ walk through the institution. People were encouraged to post their answers to the following question on a huge stand: What would make you leave your home country? Responses covered a wide range

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of human feelings and thoughts, but maybe the most common answers have been: war and jobs.

The Migration Village also hosted an interesting Photo Wall, a Photo Exhibition and a Cinema room where movies about different stages of migration were displayed throughout the day.

EASO brought for this event different leaflets explaining in very concrete terms the outcomes and the challenges faced in Greece and Italy and also presented a testimonial video, a success story of the Relocation Programme: a Syrian family relocated from Greece to France that shared their experiences and the positive outcomes of this programme.

“Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilisation”

Mahatma Gandhi

Manning EASO’s stand also meant discussing with people interested in EASO’s work, explaining and publicising the main communication channels capable to facilitate a continuous and vivid dialogue: our website, our Facebook page and Facebook Relocation page, as well as EASO’s Twitter account.

The visitors have discovered Europe in all its diversity! ‘United in diversity’, the motto of the European Union, has been the theme of the 2016 edition. Mixing of languages, cultures, opinions, Europe is multifaceted and this “plural” identity is reflected in its fundamental values and in the institutions governing it.

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EASO Newsletter January 2015 - 7 - EASO Newsletter May 2016 - 7

Eritrea COI Specialist Network Meeting in MaltaOn 11-12 May 2016 EASO hosted the Eritrea COI Specialist Network meeting in Malta. Participants assessed the level of cooperation within the network, shared information needs and upcoming national COI products, and discussed future joint activities.

Three external speakers delivered presentations on topics such as the National Service, the Secret Service, freedom of movement and press, prison conditions, religious freedom, situation of Eritreans in the diaspora, and vulnerable groups.

8th Meeting of the Group for the Provision of Statistics (GPS)On 18-19 May, EASO held the 8th meeting of the Group for the Provision of Statistics (GPS), a network of statistical experts who provide data monthly under EASO’s Early warning and Preparedness System (EPS).

At the meeting, EASO showcased the expanded range of products it now supplies based on EPS data (weekly, monthly analytical, quarterly and annual reports, monthly analysis for the Post-Visa Liberalisation Monitoring Mechanism, as well as reports on relocation, resettlement, Dublin, reception and return of failed asylum-seekers for relevant stakeholders). Members then discussed in detail compliance and definitional issues with the new Stage III indicators on access to procedure, reception, Dublin and return. It was noted that compliance is now at high levels on all indicators except access to procedure, where the current migration crisis as well as difficulties in separating the making of an application (in the sense of Article 6 APD) from its formal lodging, continue to slow practical implementation of this provision and thus collection of data regarding it.

Discussion was also held on the likely impact of the ongoing revision of the EU asylum acquis for data collection systems and GPS members were provided with a presentation on the EASO Research Programme and a pilot project on Country Intelligence reports under which EASO is investigating the feasibility of outsourcing monthly qualitative data collection and analysis directly in countries or origin and transit.

EASO’s migration research conference held in Malta.On 16 May, EASO organised an experts’ conference bringing together the organisations performing or planning migration-related research.

The first international conference on EU and global asylum-related migration research – gaining an overview took place in Malta and was attended by about 80 experts from academia, think-tanks, international organisations, civil society and EU asylum bodies.

The aim of the conference was threefold: to gain an overview of research being done and planned on asylum-related migration, to raise awareness of EASO’s research plans and seek advice, and to avoid duplication and look for synergies in research.

The conference was divided into 4 sessions:

1) on asylum-related migration research in Europe;

2) global research on the topic;

3) migration modelling and;

4) surveying migrants.

EASO outlined plans for its Research Programme into the push and pull factors determining asylum-related migration. DG Research and Innovation, DG JRC, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), UNHCR and IOM made presentations on relevant research they are conducting or funding.

EASO will soon make available the results of the conference and links to other relevant research initiatives on a dedicated page of the new EASO website, as well as the deliverables of the Programme. EASO aims eventually to develop this page a single point of access to all relevant research on asylum-related migration.

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8 - EASO Newsletter January 20158 - EASO Newsletter May 20168 - EASO Newsletter May 2016

Stories from Hotspots

EASO’S deployed personnel shares insights

The big tanker ships lies spread across the picturesque Elefsina Gulf west of Athens and there is a strong smell of fuel oil in the air from the pipelines along the coast line. A few kilometres further down the highway, where the fuel smell has vanished but the ships are still visible in the horizon, we find Skaramagas camp on the former port area; now the temporary home of around 1,600 asylum seekers staying in mainland Greece.

Skaramagas is one of the sites EASO experts deployed in Athens have visited in the last couple weeks to provide much sought after information about the relocation programme and the upcoming pre-registration exercise. The Greek Asylum Service’s new pre-registration exercise aims to pre-register all candidates for international protection staying in mainland Greece, and who have entered the country prior to 20 March 2016, before the end of July.

Pre-registration will be the necessary first step for an asylum seeker, if he or she wishes to apply for relocation, family reunification or asylum in Greece.

In Skaramagas camp, wearing the new EASO vest and the EASO badge, people soon approach and gather around the visiting experts and interpreters, asking lots of questions. Some in Arabic, some in Kurdish and others in Farsi or English. In this camp some of the people have already joined the relocation programme and now want to know when they will get the long awaited phone call with information on their relocation country. A Syrian couple invites everybody for traditional Arabic coffee in their integrated living room/bedroom/kitchen in one of the prefabricated houses. They now wait to be transferred to another European Union member state for relocation.

“We are so happy to be in the relocation programme and are looking forward to a new future,” they tell .

EASO’s deployed personnel in Skaramagas Camp, Greece

Why can’t we cross the borders, where is the human rights in Europe”, a woman asks. A man wants to know, why they should believe in the pre-registration exercise now they have been waiting for months. The experts need to muster all their diplomatic and explanatory skills in order to calm down people and give them hope.

“You are the first organisation here in months. Thank you for visiting us. Don’t forget us!, he asks.”

EASO’s deployed personnel in Skaramangas, Greece

After two intense hours of information, translation, questions and answers it is time for the experts to leave the camp.

On their way out to the car, one of the asylum seekers who earlier raised his voice in frustration, now thanks the experts for coming. “You are the first organisation here in months. Thank you for visiting us. Don’t forget us!, he asks.”

EASO’s deployed personnel in Lavrio, Greece

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EASO Newsletter January 2015 - 9 - EASO Newsletter May 2016 - 9

MEPs met EASO during their visit to Greece

A Civil Liberties Committee delegation travelled to Greece from 18 to 20 May to check the situation of refugees at the external borders of the EU and assess how the EU-Turkey statement to manage migrant and asylum-seekers flows into the EU is being implemented.

MEPs visited the Greece/FYROM border, the island of Lesvos and Athens. They also met representatives of the Greek Government, and EU and international bodies, as well as NGOs.

The aim of the delegation, formed by 10 MEPs, led by Peter Niedermüller (S&D, HU), was to evaluate the situation on the ground in order to identify possible needs and further measures to be taken, including with regard to the implementation of the EU-Turkey statement.

MEPs checked how asylum applications are being processed, the information and support that migrants are being offered and held discussions regarding rescue operations and border management.

During their visit, MEPs met with EASO staff in Lesvos. EASO explained its work on admissibility and relocation in Greece.

“An intolerable situation for people fleeing war and persecution”Péter Niedermüller

MEPs Delegation in Greece:

Peter NIEDERMÜLLER (Head of delegation, S&D, HU),

Birgit SIPPEL (S&D, DE),

Mariya GABRIEL (EPP, BG),

Helga STEVENS (ECR, BE),

Malin BJÖRK (GUE/NGL, SE),

Laura FERRARA (EFDD, IT),

Roza Maria Gräfin THUN UND HOHENSTEIN (EPP, PL),

Janice ATKINSON (ENF, UK),

Anna Maria CORAZZA BILDT (EPP, SE) and

Elissavet VOZEMBERG-VRIONIDI (EPP, EL).

The situation in Idomeni is not a human way of life . It is our political and moral responsibility to try to find a better solution . “

Péter Niedermüller

© Twitter@NiedermullerMEP

© Twitter@NiedermullerMEP


EASO Training Curriculum

Upgraded module on Dublin III Regulation

The online part of the newly upgraded module on Dublin III Regulation and the module on Interviewing Vulnerable Persons started in May, with the face-to-face session to be organised on 14 - 17 June in the EASO

premises. Additionally, on 3 May EASO initiated the online part of the train-the-trainer sessions in the module on Inclusion and Exclusion with the face-to-face session taking place between 31 May - 3 June in the premises of the Fundamental Rights agency (FRA) in Vienna.

EASO will continue with its training activities after the summer break with the train-the-trainer sessions in the modules on Interviewing Children and the Module for Managers. The online part of these train-the-trainer

sessions will start on 5 September with the face-to-face sessions to be held in Malta between 4 – 7 October. If you wish you register for any of these train-the-trainer sessions, kindly submit your registration form to trainingeaso.europa.eu by 29 August.

EASO Training National Contact Point Meeting

National Contact Point Meeting, Valetta, 25-26 May 2016

On 25 – 26 May 2016, EASO held the Training National Contact Point meeting, that had as main aim to provide Member States with an overview on the current state of play and recent developments in EASO training. This meeting also allowed Member States to share good practices with regard to the implementation of the EASO Training Curriculum at the national level and inform EASO about Member States’ training needs and requirements.

EASO’s training plans for the second semester of 2016 have been discussed with the EASO Training National Contact Points, including the training plans within the regional training sessions. The partic-ipants also exchanged ideas on the new EASO training modules and tools and reflected on the future developments in the area of training. Moreover, EASO presented its training package for admissibility procedure in Greece and Member States shared their best practices on handling the current situation with the available training tools.

Additionally, Member States were informed about the new features of the EASO training platform, on the pilot training organised in the new module on Introduction to Didactics and on the developments in the certification of the EASO Training Curriculum. The EASO Training NCP meeting was attended by 20 Member States and representative of UNHCR.

More information on EASO’s training is available on https://www.easo.europa.eu/training-quality

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EASO continues to expand activities for members of courts and tribunals

It has been a busy few weeks for the EASO support of members of courts and tribunals. At the end of April, EASO was represented at a meeting of the judges of the Administrative Courts of Saxony-Anhalt in Germany.

The participants to this meeting were interested to learn more about EASO’s activities for members of courts and tribunals as well as gaining a better understanding of current challenges in the European asylum crisis, including relocation and the EU-Turkey Agreement.

On 4 April 2016, EASO hosted a group of over 30 judges and judicial assistants from the Austrian Supreme Court. This visit was part of a study visit to Malta and EASO was pleased to be able to contextualise the current migratory situation in Europe as well as provide information on country-of-origin information of relevance to the group.

Country-of-origin information was also the centre of a professional development workshop held on 11 and 12 May 2016 at the premises of the Higher Administrative Court of Lower Saxony in Brunswick, Germany.

Over 2 days, 23 participants were provided with a deep understanding of country-of-origin information. A particular focus of the workshop was on techniques related to researching and evaluating sources of COI.

The workshop took a practical approach and each participant was actively involved in carrying out research using a range of relevant methodologies.On 18 May 2016, EASO also organised a pilot professional development workshop on exclusion. The meeting was attended by 16 members of courts and tribunals from 11 EU+ countries.

Following the publication of the Judicial Analysis on exclusion, EASO is working towards the publication of an accompanying Judicial Trainer’s Guidance Note on this subject. This will contain relevant materials suitable for the organisation of a workshop such as case studies, discussion questions and a moot court exercise.

The workshop provided participants with an opportunity to engage in high-level discussion with colleagues and senior judicial experts.This workshop was organised on the fringes of the IARLJ-Europe Chapter Conference, at which EASO was also invited to play a role by presenting a keynote speech and participating in two panels on the current situation in Greek and the role of judges in a potentially more centralised EU asylum system.

The conference was opened by His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and brought together a large number of judges from across the EU and beyond as well as others from academia and relevant international organisations.

EASO Cooperation on Courts and Tribunals

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Members of Courts and Tribunals from 11 EU+ countries participated to a pilot workshop for professional development, held on 18 May 2016 in Norway



On the occasion of the 5th Anniversary of the establishment of EASO, a photographic exhibition showcasing EASO’s work throughout Europe will be

open to the General Public at the

European Asylum Support Office, MTC Block A, Winemakers Wharf, Grand Harbour Valletta.

Opening days:

Monday 20th June: 13:00hrs -17:00hrs

Tuesday 21st June – Friday 24th June: 09:00 hrs -17:00 hrs

Your opinion is important to us! Visit the EASO consultation calendar, to keep updated on when EASO will open consultation procedures:

https://www.easo.europa.eu/civil-society/consultation-calendar-open-consultations

Subscribe to the EASO Newsletter via:https://www.easo.europa.eu/newsletter?email=

EASO is on Facebook. Follow us and receive updates on EASO activities by liking our page: https://www.facebook.com/easo.eu/ https://twitter.com/EASO

EASO Facebook page on Relocation: https://www.facebook.com/EU-Relocation-Programme-1573986209595538/

EASO Website Visit EASO’s website on https://www.easo.europa.eu/ for the latest updates

© European Asylum Support Office, 2016.Neither EASO nor any person acting on its behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

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EASO Vacancies

EASO has recently published the following vacancies:

Open CallsReference Number Title Closing Date

EASO/2016/TA/011 Head of Information&Analysis Unit (TA, AD10) 11 Jul 2016 - 13:00 Brussels time

EASO/2016/TA/012 Head of Asylum Support Unit (TA. AD10) 11 Jul 2016 - 13:00 Brussels time

EASO/2016/TA/010 Head of Department of Asylum Support(TA, AD10) 8 Jul 2016 - 13:00 Brussels time

EASO/2016/TA/009 Head of Department of Operations (TA, AD12) 8 Jul 2016 - 13:00 Brussels time

EASO/2016/TA/007 Accounting Officer (TA, AD7) 28 Jun 2016 - 13:00 Brussels time

EASO/2016/CA/004 Project Coordinator (CA, FG IV) 27 Jun 2016 - 13:00 Brussels time

EASO/2016/TA/006 Information Officer - COI (TA, AD5) 15 Jun 2016 - 13:00 Brussels time

For more information please visit out website on: https://www.easo.europa.eu/about-us/vacancies

EASO notices (including vacancies)

Newsletter - May 2016 · EASO Newsletter May 2016 - 3 The top ten citizenship groups in April 2016...

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