Asylum

Refugees seek asylum in the European Union from many countries, including Afghanistan (Photo: European Commission)
The EU has a common policy on asylum. Most EU asylum policy will, from 2004, be decided by a qualified majority.
The Council is deciding common definitions and rules for the return of asylum seekers, starting with those from Afghanistan.

On 11 December 2000 the Council adopted a Regulation concerning the establishment of " Eurodac " for the comparison of the fingerprints of applicants for asylum and certain other aliens.

A new regulation adopted in February 2003 has replaced the so-called Dublin Convention. The first EU country that receives an application for asylum, acts on behalf of all Member States. This rule has been criticised for being in contravention of the relevant United Nations Conventions because it could leave numbers of asylum seekers without protection.

Links

http://www.europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/s17000.htm#ASILE