Ministers fail to find accord on asylum responsibilities

Date: 05/12/02

By Martin Banks

EU INTERIOR ministers failed to reach agreement at last week's justice and home affairs council (JHA) on rules to establish which country takes responsibility for asylum-seekers moving across the EU.

'Entry countries', such as Italy and Greece, say that after six months the country in which the asylum-seekers reside should be responsible for processing any application for asylum.

However, 'destination countries' such as France, the UK and Belgium, believe it should be 18 months or more.

Denmark, which holds the rotating EU presidency, has given member states until the next JHA council on 20 December to decide between backing its own compromise proposal of 12 months or relying on the existing international agreement. This requires countries to protect refugees and grant them at least the same standards of treatment enjoyed by other foreign nationals.

The council was also unable to reach agreement on the fundamental issue of what constitutes a 'refugee' and minimum conditions in reception centres.

Unanimity is currently needed for such decisions, although consensus is building to drop national vetoes on asylum and immigration when the EU treaty is next revised.

• LONG-term illegal immigrants should pay tax and be given legal status, according to a report by the British House of Lords.

Its EU committee argues that 'regularisation of long-term illegal immigrants is unavoidable' if a growing underclass of people who are vulnerable to exploitation is not to be created.

'Long-term residents should not remain in an irregular position but should pay their taxes and national insurance contributions as well as have proper access to public services,' the report states.

EU justice and home affairs ministers have failed to reach agreement on rules to establish which country takes responsibility for asylum-seekers moving across the EU.