The European Commission noted improvements in the management of migration and refugees and the guarding of the European Union’s external borders in a series of reports released on Wednesday. Regarding Greece, it said the Greek authorities were making “constant efforts” and “progress” toward having a well-functioning asylum system and fully implementing the EU asylum standards that apply to all member States.
The Commission adopted its Third Recommendation to Greece on improvements to its asylum system so as to gradually resume Dublin Transfers of asylum seekers to Greece.
Greece’s progress included “completing a large-scale pre-registration exercise, increasing the overall reception capacity as well as doubling the capacity of the asylum service, establishing new Appeals Committees and legislation on free legal aid and education for school-aged asylum seekers and refugees,” the Commission said. It also noted the need for further progress in reception facilities, access to asylum procedures and structures for vulnerable applicants, before a resumption of Dublin transfers to Greece can be considered.
The Dublin Regulation
“A future resumption of transfers to Greece under the Dublin Regulation should also take account of the impact this challenging situation has on the overall functioning of the asylum system, and should therefore start gradually, on a case by case basis. The Commission envisages taking stock of the progress made in this regard and issuing further recommendations before the end of the year,” the Commission said.
The report noted the success of the EU-Turkey agreement in reducing refugee flows and deaths at sea, as well as an increase in the numbers returned to Turkey.
“The Greek administration has made further efforts to increase the rate of returns, in full compliance with EU and international law,” the report said.
It also reported an increase in the number of relocations from Greece (4,445) and Italy (1,196) and said that, with the increased capacity of the Greek Asylum Service, and if Member States step up their efforts, it should notably be possible to relocate the remaining relocation candidates present in Greece (around 30,000) within the next year.
Read more here.
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
