European Asylum Support Office

Bureau Européen d’Appui pour l’Asile ISSN: 1977-4818

European Asylum Support Office

Newsletter — November/December 2012

EDITORIAL

Welcome to the November/December edition of the European

Asylum Support Office (EASO) newsletter. As you will note

from the content of this newsletter, EASO activities are on the

increase. In this edition we look into various topics, including

the EASO delegation visit to Greece (see page 2), MEP van de

Camp, MEP Wikström, Dutch Minister Leers and Greek

Minister Dendias visits to EASO, the meeting of the EASO

Consultative Forum, the 9th

EASO Management Board meeting,

EASO's Conference on Afghanistan, EASO's Quality Initiative,

and much more. As to EASO training, besides our usual update

on EASO training activities, this month we are introducing the

new module on Interviewing Techniques. Since this is the last

edition of the EASO newsletter for this year, I would like to

thank you for following EASO activities in 2012 and wish you all

a happy Christmas and all the best for 2013. We will be back

with the EASO newsletter as from January.

Jean-Pierre Schembri

Newsletter Editor

EASO Spokesperson

CONTENTS

• Editorial and in the news - page 1

• EASO's delegation visit to Greece - page 2

• Dutch Minister Leers visit to EASO - page 2

• EASO conference on Resettlement - page 3

• MEP van de Camp and MEP Wikström visits to EASO - page 3

• EASO training - page 4

• EASO Conference on Afghanistan – page 5

• EASO training related activities - page 5

• 9th

EASO Management Board Meeting - page 6

• The EASO Consultative Forum - page 6

• EASO in pictures - page 7

• EASO notices (including vacancies) - page 8

IN THE NEWS: LIBE committee discusses EASO's

annual report and work programme for 2013

On 6 November, EASO's Executive Director, presented

the 2011 EASO annual report on the situation of asylum

in the EU and on the activities of EASO and the 2013

EASO work programme to the members of the European

Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and

Home Affairs (LIBE).

During his presentation Dr Visser explained the main

activities of EASO during this period and what EASO aims

to achieve in the future. He said that the 3 main pillars

of EASO support were permanent support, special

support, and emergency support. Also important was

EASO's support in the area of Early warning, Here EASO is

setting up its own Early warning and Preparedness

System (EPS) with the aim of detecting situations likely to

give rise to particular asylum pressures. In this context,

EASO provides asylum trend analysis and risk scenarios.

Early warning is essential in order to have a good

assessment of the asylum situation in Member States

and identify possible deficiencies in good time. Also

important was the external dimension. However, due to

budget limitations, EASO has had to limit its activities in

this field. Watch the full discussion by clicking on the

following link: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ep-

live/en/committees/video?event=20121106-0900-

COMMITTEE-LIBE

SUPPORT IS OUR MISSION

IN THE NEWS: Greek Minster Dendias visits EASO

On 15 November 2012 Minister Nikolaos Dendias, Greek Minister

for Public Order and Citizen Protection visited the headquarters of

the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) in Malta where he

held a meeting with EASO's Executive Director.

Minister Dendias's visit underlines the importance of EASO's work

in Greece.

The meeting followed a visit by an EASO delegation to Greece,

earlier this week, during which an amendment to the EASO-

Greece Operating Plan was signed. This plan supports the new

First Reception Service, the Asylum Service, and the Appeals

Authority. It also provides support to the backlog clearance

procedure which is currently underway.

Read more on EASO's delegation visit to Greece on page 2

2

Dutch Minister Leers visits

EASO

Above: Minister Leers (third from right) together with the

Dutch government delegation at the EASO Premises

On 29 October, Dr Gerd Leers, Dutch Minister for

Immigration, Integration and Asylum Affairs

visited EASO in Malta and met EASO Executive

Director to discuss the work of EASO and the

situation of asylum in the EU.

The meeting was held at the Headquarters of the

European Asylum Support Office, in Malta.

Following the meeting Dr Visser commented that

'this was a very fruitful meeting which further

strengthens the good cooperation between EASO

and the Dutch Government. During the meeting

we discussed the work of EASO and how EASO

can be of service to the EU and its Member

States. We also discussed current issues in the

area of asylum including the development of the

Common European Asylum System, which the

European Union is committed to achieve by the

end of this year, EASO's support to Greece where

I reiterated EASO's appreciation of the Dutch

Government contribution to this project'.

Minister Leers held that he was 'very pleased with

the contribution and the support of EASO to the

member states. The Dutch government sees the

positive effects of the work of EASO. EASO is

essential in solving the challenges in for example

Greece and especially in the implementation of

the Greek Action Plan. The Dutch government

supports a number of EASO’s activities, for

example Early Warning, and is looking forward to

further progress in 2013.'

EASO delegation visits Greece- EASO to give additional support to Greece to

reduce the backlog of asylum appeals cases.

Greece has faced particular asylum pressures in

the past years due to a significant influx of

irregular migrants at the European external

borders. Following a request made by the Greek

Government, in February 2011, EASO agreed to

support Greece and to deploy Asylum Support

Teams (ASTs) to Greece.

Since the beginning of its operations in Greece in

2011, EASO has deployed over 40 ASTs to support

Greece with building up a new asylum system, in

particular by supporting the Greek government in

setting-up the: First Reception Service; Asylum

Service; Appeals Authority; and improving

reception conditions. In the framework of the

Operating Plan, EASO and Greek authorities have

managed to:

- establish a training plan for staff of the new

services, which is being implemented. A number

of trainers trained in the European Asylum

Curriculum modules, who belong to the new

services, are training staff who have joined more

recently;

- plan for the transition of DubliNet and Eurodac

database to the new services;

- develop guidelines on age assessment,

vulnerable categories and a strategy on the

increase of reception and accommodation

facilities.

On 13 November 2012 an EASO delegation,

headed by the Executive Director of EASO, visited

Greece to discuss the state of play regarding

EASO support to Greece and progress made by

the Greek authorities in the area of asylum and

reception.

During the visit, the EASO Executive Director held

a meeting with Minister Nikoloas Dendias, Greek

Minister for Public Order and Citizen Protection

where EASO continued support to Greece and the

additional support aimed at reducing the backlog

of asylum appeals claims was discussed. During

the meeting Minister Dendias and Dr. Visser

signed an amendment to the EASO-Greece

Operating Plan.

In Athens, the EASO delegation also met with EU

Member States Ambassadors and visited the First

Reception Centre, Asylum Service and Appeals

Authority and the Appeals Committees.

3

MEP van de Camp and MEP

Wikstrom visit EASO

Dr Visser and Hon. Van de Camp

On 16 November Mr Wim van de CAMP, Member

of the European Parliament's Committee on Civil

Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) visited

the head office of the European Asylum Support

Office (EASO) in Malta, and held a meeting with

EASO's Executive Director to discuss EASO's role

vis-à-vis the development of the Common

European Asylum System. Other topics such as

EASO support to Greece, and the Early warning

and Preparedness system (currently being

developed by EASO) were also discussed during

the meeting.

Dr Visser and Hon. Wikström

On 25 November, Ms Cecilia Wikström, Member

of the European Parliament's LIBE committee also

visited EASO and held a meeting with EASO's

Executive Director. The main item on the agenda

was EASO's role vis-à-vis the development of the

Common European Asylum System. Ms Wikström

also participated, as a speaker, in the EASO

Consultative Forum (see page 6)

These visits followed Dr Visser's presentation, of

the 2011 EASO Annual Report on the situation of

asylum in the EU and the activities of EASO and

the 2013 EASO work programme, at the LIBE

committee on 6 November 2012.

First EU Resettlement Seminar

Resettlement is one of the key measures for

internal and external solidarity. According to

EASO Work Programme 2012, one of the

responsibilities of EASO is to provide a structure

for exchanging information and to set-up

cooperation activities among EU Member States,

but also with third countries, UNHCR, IOM, other

international organisations and NGO’s concerned.

The first seminar of EU Resettlement Policy took

place on 22-23 October 2012. The meeting

focused on the national resettlement schemes

state of play, EU funding available for

resettlement and solidarity support seen from the

social society perspective. This meeting brought

together EU resettlement specialists and policy

practitioners, for the first time under the

coordination of EASO.

On the first day, speakers explained the latest

developments in terms of national resettlement

policies and EU funding available. EASO

addressed the EU Member States solidarity

support in view of setting up common EU

resettlement goals. On the second day,

participants discussed the further developing of

the EU Resettlement Network and agreed to

promote resettlement cooperation in Europe,

also by using www.resettlement.eu as a

cooperation tool in information sharing, multi

stakeholder meetings and exchange of good

practices, through outreach, training, study visits,

research and piloting of new methods.

A wrap-up plenary session concluded on the main

findings and discussed on possible future actions

to be followed. It was agreed that EU Member

States should further support each other in

resettlement planning, coordination and

implementation of resettlement activities

through the exchange of good practices and

cooperation in developing new or sustainable

programmes. EASO will support emergency

resettlement and convene a coordination

meeting with EU Member States and UNHCR in

early autumn each year, in order to identify the

resettlement needs in Europe and support the

Member States to make annual commitments

and provide for complementarity of the intakes,

in the light of the available EU funding in the field.

4

EASO will be also updating up to seven modules in

2013 and this information can be shared with you

through your respective National Contact Point

(NCP). EASO is now in the final phase of

completing the Platform transfer, in this regard

please be informed that the EAC platform will not

be working between midnight of 12th

December

2012 until 16th

January 2013.

Get to know EAC Learning path and EAC Modules

–The New Module on Interview Techniques

The European Asylum Curriculum (EAC) currently

features three interview techniques modules;

- Interview Techniques

- Interviewing Vulnerable Persons

- Interviewing Children

Since March 2012, EASO has worked with a

knowledgeable and experienced team of Member

States’ experts on a comprehensive review of the

Interview Techniques module. The review aims at

enhancing the module, one of the first EAC

developments, by taking advantage of the

expertise acquired since its development and

ensuring consistency and coherency within EASO's

training package on interview techniques. From

19 to 21 November, the team will hold its last

meeting to review the draft, which will be finalised

upon consultation with a reference group that

includes ECRE, UNHCR the Commission and the

IARLJ.

The module will cover theoretical aspects and

relevant legislation from a very practical

perspective; promote the use of a structured

interview method and provide participants with

good practical examples, including some tips to

tackle difficult interview situations and tools to

enhance the quality of asylum interviews.

EASO remains grateful for the enthusiasm and

commitment of the team, which continues its hard

work to develop a common approach on this key

aspect of the asylum procedure.

We look forward to sharing this new EAC

experience with you and encourage you to

register for the first training on this module in

March 2013.

EASO Training

Recent Developments

The face to face sessions on the European

Asylum Curriculum (EAC) modules Asylum

Procedures Directive and Dublin Regulation

were organised successfully by EASO in Malta

during the beginning of this month. EASO has

for the first time engaged in a pilot initiative,

whereby a trainer from UNHCR has co-

facilitated the train the trainer module on the

Asylum Procedures Directive. Participants

came from several European administrations

including, Estonia, Germany, Luxembourg,

Malta, Poland, Romania Slovenia and

Switzerland.

During this month, EASO will be organizing the

last train-the-trainer modules for this year on

Country of Origin Information and Interview

Techniques. In the meantime, EASO is currently

updating both modules and the new versions

will be available as from next year. During this

month, EASO will also initiate the process of

updating the International Refugee Law &

Human Rights module.

By the end of this month EASO will be also

organizing a kick off meeting on the Common

European Asylum System (CEAS) module. The

content group has been formed and will be

working simultaneously with the Reference

Group. The first train the trainer module on

the CEAS is scheduled for November 2013.

Following feedback received from the last NCP

meeting, EASO will be soon launching its

official EASO Trainer courses in EAC modules

for 2013. This will be made publicly available

through our website

(http://www.easo.europa.eu/) so that you can

consider this schedule when planning your

training activities for 2013.

5

EASO Conference on

Afghanistan

Afghans continue to constitute one of the most

significant caseloads of asylum seekers in the

European Union, and consequently have a

considerable impact on the asylum procedures in

many Member States. This is widely reflected in

the focus on Afghanistan in the production and

use of Country of Origin Information (COI) in all its

aspects. But the impact of the Afghan caseload

goes far beyond the COI scope; it also touches

upon policies and practices. In this context, on 8

/9 November 2012 EASO organised a conference

on Afghanistan: Country of Origin Information

and Beyond. The conference featured

presentations by key experts on Afghanistan,

break out sessions on a wide range of topics as

well as discussions on how to keep on developing

methodologies and tools to refine the

involvement of all those concerned by the Afghan

caseload. Besides Member States' experts, the

conference was also attended by judges,

academics and NGOs specialising on Afghanistan.

EASO Annual Didactic

Seminar

The EASO didactic seminar was held on 23-24

October 2012. 42 participants from different

Member States attended this meeting. Based on a

need assessment conducted some months ago,

EASO has identified four areas of interest which

called for further development by our didactic

experts. In this regard EASO, with the help of

experts organized four different workshops on: E-

learning and E-coaching, Learning and

Motivation, Presentation and Communication

Skills, and Learning and Creativity. Didactic

experts had the opportunity to actively

participate in these training sessions through

several interactive workshops.

EAC Annual National

Contact Point Meeting

The EASO NCP meeting was held on 25-26

October 2012. 28 participants from different

Member States, a representative from the

European Commission and UNHCR attended this

meeting. The NCPs were presented with the new

version of Terms of Reference for EASO Training

and Expert Pool. The second part of this meeting

focused on the EASO Training Cockpit.

EASO Quality Initiative

On 8th

and 9th

November, EASO held its first

Meeting on Quality with the participation of

Member States, the European Commission and

UNHCR. The main purpose of the event was to

introduce EASO’s current approach towards

quality. While it is clear that ‘quality’ is a label of

all activities EASO implements, the particular

theme of the meeting was the quality mapping

exercise.

This exercise would encompass a review of

quality-related initiatives and projects in EU

Member States since 2004, particular quality

mechanisms in place, as well as a mapping of the

ways in which the asylum system functions in its

everyday practice. The process would be

undertaken in phases and comprehensively cover

all aspects of the Common European Asylum

System (CEAS) over a period of time. The overall

purpose is compiling knowledge about the

current state of implementation of the CEAS. This

knowledge would inform EASO’s priorities and

strategy in providing support to Member States

where it is most needed. Moreover, it will be the

basis for identification of good practices which

Member States could share with each other in the

process of implementing a high quality CEAS. In

the future such qualitative data could be used in

the context of the Early warning and

Preparedness System (EPS) currently being

developed by EASO and in relation to the recast

of the Dublin Regulation.

The meeting succeeded in creating a forum for

participants to exchange valuable expertise

regarding quality initiatives and mechanisms and

to take active part in shaping EASO’s approach

towards quality.

In the immediate follow-up of the meeting, all

Member States will be actively involved in

consultations on the proposed approach and

methodology. The results of the meeting and the

feedback from Member States would determine

the concrete parameters of this quality mapping

exercise and, respectively, the topics of the

thematic meetings on quality to be hosted by

EASO in 2013.

6

EASO Consultative Forum

EASO held its second Consultative Forum plenary

meeting on 25/26 November 2012 at the

Excelsior Hotel, Valletta, Malta. The plenary

meeting has become a major event in the EASO

calendar of activities attracting around hundred

participants most of whom are NGOs working in

the field of asylum.

Various notable actors in the field of asylum and

migration addressed the Forum this year,

including the Member of the European

Parliament Ms Cecilia Wikstrom and Ms. Cathryn

Costello from the University of Oxford. During

this meeting, EASO presented the Consultative

Forum Operational Plan, describes the framework

within which the Forum shall operate. Moreover,

participants had the opportunity to discuss key

EASO products and services during breakout

sessions, such as the EASO Annual Report, EASO

Annual Work Programme 2014, EASO Training,

Quality and Unaccompanied minors, and the

EASO Early warning and Preparedness System.

EASO also presented a draft calendar of

consultation activities during 2013, which was

well received by participants. Civil society

organisations expressed their willingness to

engage more closely with EASO and to provide

relevant expertise. EASO welcomed suggestions

and proposals made by civil society both on

content and process and vouched to take them

into consideration to the extent possible in its

work during 2013.

EASO's Executive Director stated that the

Consultative Forum is not just an annual meeting,

but rather a continuous two way dialogue. The

aim of consultation is to ensure that interested

parties are given the opportunity to be heard and

to contribute to EASO's work. I see consultation

with civil society as a win-win situation when

carried out in full respect of mutual obligations

and responsibilities. That is why EASO has

proposed to consult civil society in a more

structured and comprehensive manner during

2013.

Organisations interested in being consulted by

EASO can register on www.easo.europa.eu

9th EASO Management

Board Meeting

On 22-23 November 2012, EASO held its 9th

management board meeting in Malta. The

management board is composed of

representatives of the EU Member States, the

European Commission, and the United Nations

High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Norway and Switzerland also attended the

meeting.

EASO Executive Director addressing members of the

Management Board during their visit to the EASO head

quarters.

Participants discussed the asylum situation inside

and outside the EU, giving particular attention to

the asylum situation in Greece and the EASO

activities to support the Greek asylum system. In

addition, the Asylum Intervention Pool and the

asylum support teams were evaluated following

the experience gathered from the deployment of

those support teams to Greece (2011-2012) and

Luxembourg (2012).

Furthermore, the Management Board discussed

the development and implementation of the Early

warning and Preparedness System in the field of

asylum.

Moreover, a second EASO COI report on

Afghanistan was presented to the Management

Board. Additionally, while in Malta, the members

of the Management Board had the opportunity to

visit the premises of the EASO head quarters and

meet with EASO staff.

7

Top: EASO's delegation in Greece during a meeting with

Greek counterparts Bottom: Dr Visser and Minster

Dendias signing an amendment to the Operating Plan.

On 22 November EASO and UNHCR singed a grant

agreement by which they will provide additional

support to Greece aimed at reducing the backlog of

asylum appeals claims.

Participants at he EASO meeting on Quality, 8/9

November 2012, Malta. More information on page 5.

On 8 /9 November 2012 EASO organised a conference

on Afghanistan: Country of Origin Information and

Beyond.

On 25 – 26 October 2012, a meeting of the JHA Council

was held in Luxembourg. On 25 October, during a lunch

debate, Ministers had an informal discussion on intra-

EU relocation of beneficiaries of international

protection from Malta (EUREMA). During this

discussion, EASO's Executive Director presented the

main findings of the EASO fact finding report on

EUREMA. Picture: Council of the European Union.

On 12/13 November, the Working Party (WP) on the

Country of Origin Information Portal (COI Portal) met

at the French Asylum office (OFPRA) in Fontenay-sous-

Bois (France). The WP is planning the training of

National COI Portal Administrators who will be

responsible for running national access of Member

States to the central COI Portal, including the

connections of national COI databases to the Portal and

supervision of the Portal's national upload area. The

COI Portal is foreseen to be the main point of entry for

end users to COI and is crucial to the effective

implementation of a CEAS.

EASO in Pictures

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EASO Vacancies EASO has recently published the following vacancies:

Temporary Agents

Reference Number Title Closing Date

EASO/2012/020 Program Coordination Officer (AD7) 19 December 2012

EASO/2012/021 Project Officer (AD6) 19 December 2012

EASO/2012/024 Information and Analyst Coordinator

(AD7) 19 December 2012

EASO/2012/027 Didactic and E.Learning Expert (AD7) 19 December 2012

Contract Agents

Reference Number Title Closing Date

EASO/2012/022 Project Support Officer (FGIV) 19 December 2012

EASO/2012/023 Deployment Officer (FGIII) 19 December 2012

EASO/2012/025 IT Portal Maintenance and

Development Officer (FGIV) 19 December 2012

EASO/2012/026 Data Collection and Processing Officer

(FGIV) 19 December 2012

Seconded National Experts

Reference Number Title Closing Date

EASO/2012/SNE/002 Field Officer 19 December 2012

EASO/2012/SNE/004 COI Expert on Western Balkans 19 December 2012

More information can be obtained by clicking on: www.easo.europa.eu and click on working

with EASO.

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© European Asylum Support Office, 2012.

Neither EASO nor any person acting on its behalf may

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the information contained therein.

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acknowledged.