Brussels/London, 13 July 2016. More than 200,000 people have fled conflict and persecution to seek protection in Europe, so far this year. 70 % of these people have landed in Greece and most remain stranded. Though the closure of the ‘Western Balkans route’ at the beginning of 2016 and the EU-Turkey deal, cast an international spotlight on Greece, the procedural challenges to accessing protection and gaps in the provision of information and legal assistance, have seldom been scrutinised.
A report launched today by The AIRE Centre and ECRE finds that refugees in Greece continue to face challenges in accessing asylum due to increased complexity and procedural layers, a lack of simple and unequivocal information, as well as significant gaps in legal assistance.
The report, which follows a field visit to the country between 28 May and 6 June, also emphasises the need for international organisations to be mindful of the long present efforts of Greek lawyers and NGOs in the field, and recommends that new initiatives should be targeted and sustainable.
The report also draws attention to important weaknesses in procedures for identifying and effectively processing the asylum applications of the most vulnerable.
EU Member States have been slow to respond, and the little action taken has failed to deal with people in a humane way. The AIRE Centre and ECRE call on EU Member States to comply with their obligations under the Dublin Regulation, and to engage in the relocation scheme in good faith in order for asylum seekers in Greece, and across Europe, to move safely and benefit from effective legal channels.