Brussels, 19 July 2013 – Today, the Dublin III Regulation enters into force. For the European Union and its member states, this is a pivotal moment because it heralds the arrival of what they consider to be the Common European Asylum System. It is also a pivotal moment for asylum seekers: the way in which EU member states implement Dublin III will undoubtedly impact their ability to seek protection in Europe.

This year, both the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) and the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) published in-depth research studies revealing how the Dublin II Regulation impedes asylum seekers’ access to protection in Europe. Though both were produced separately, the findings of the studies are strikingly similar.

We found vast differences in the way member states apply the Dublin Regulation. There are no common standards of information provision and reception conditions, and no common ways to assess people’s vulnerabilities and special needs.

The consequences of these divergent practices have been enormously detrimental to asylum seekers. Many people seeking asylum are transferred from one country to the next without ever having the chance to have their asylum application fully examined. 

Above all, our research studies show that if the Common European Asylum System as a whole is to be sustainable, then it must seriously consider and address any protection gaps that may undermine the right to asylum.

You can read the full statement here.