Asylum: EURODAC becomes operational, January 2003

Asylum seekers in the European Union should find it harder to break EU rules by making multiple asylum claims in a number of different European countries following the introduction of a centralised EU fingerprint database on 15 January 2003.

The very first European Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) aims to prevent so called 'asylum shopping' by registering the fingerprints of all asylum seekers over the age of 14 and certain categories of illegal immigrants arriving in the European Union and storing them in a central database for up to 10 years. The system, to be known as EURODAC, will enable immigration officials to make sure that immigrants who apply for asylum have not applied elsewhere. Under the rules laid out in the EU's Dublin Convention (to be replaced in 2003 by a newly adopted European Community Regulation), asylum seekers who make applications in more than one country must be sent back to the country where the first application is made.

Each year 400,000 people seek asylum in the European Union and an estimated 10-20% of these asylum-seekers make applications in more than one country. Germany and Britain are expected to reap the most benefit from the system since asylum seekers often target these two countries in the search for better conditions after arriving in southern EU Member States such as Greece and Italy. Beverley Hughes, UK Home Office Minister, described the new rules as 'a valuable resource to tackle multiple asylum applications and deter asylum shopping' and European Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs, Antonio Vitorino, said that the EURODAC system would help to 'streamline our asylum policy across the European Union'.

But human rights campaigners have criticised the European Union for tackling the problem of asylum seekers in the wrong way. The Refugee Council is calling for a shared system of international responsibility that takes into account people's links to a particular country rather than control measures such as EURODAC. The civil rights organisation, Statewatch, has also suggested that the EURODAC system contravenes the UN Convention on the rights of the child because asylum seekers as young as fourteen are required to give fingerprints. Moreover, the organisation is concerned that the information might be used for other purposes, such as the fight against terrorism, even though an independent joint supervisory authority will be set up to ensure that the rights of data subjects are not violated.

EURODAC will be operational in all Member States except Denmark, as well as Norway and Iceland. The system consists of a Central Unit within the Commission equipped with a fully automated, computerized central database for comparing the fingerprints of asylum applicants and a system for electronic data transmission between participating state and the Central Unit. Since fingerprinting will only apply to new asylum applicants it is expected to be at least a year before the success of the project can be assessed. Under the rules, the European Commission must submit to the European Parliament and the Council an annual report including information on the management and performance of EURODAC.

Links:
European Commission:
	14.01.03:	Identification of asylum seekers - EURODAC operational tomorrow [IP/03/37]
	DG Justice and Home Affairs: Asylum
	Scadplus: 'Eurodac' system
BBC News Online:
	15.01.03:	EU begins asylum fingerprinting
European Sources Online: European Voice:
	20.07.00:	Hopes rise for deal on fingerprint scheme
	04.05.00:	Eurodac plan sparks power struggle
European Sources Online: In Focus
	Asylum, refugees and immigration: a challenge for Europe, October 2001

Helen Bower

Compiled: Wednesday, 15 January 2003

A centralised EU fingerprint database, to be known as EURODAC, will be introduced on 15 January 2003 in an attempt to reduce the number of asylum seekers making multiple claims in different European countries.