European Commission

1
European Commission Presentation Refugee
resettlement a joint EU commitment Conference
in Bucharest, 7-9 May 2008
Living in an area of Freedom, Justice and Security
European Commission
Directorate General Justice, Freedom and Security
2
Resettlement

• Instrument of resettlement recognized as useful
  and essential part of comprehensive policies on
  asylum
• The Commission looks forward to develop the
  cooperation on resettlement further with the
  Member States, UNHCR and NGOs

Living in an area of Freedom, Justice and Security
European Commission
Directorate General Justice, Freedom and Security
3
Resettlement, EU policy framework

• Reasons to support resettlement
• Durable solution which contributes to solve
  refugee situations and because of humanitarian
  reasons
• Resettlement is part of EU external policies on
  asylum
• Solidarity with third countries
• Support for UNHCRs activities
• Instrumental to maintain protection in third
  countries
• Strategic use of resettlement specific
  situations
• Resettlement, part of Regional Protection
  Programmes (RPPs)

Living in an area of Freedom, Justice and Security
European Commission
Directorate General Justice, Freedom and Security
4
Resettlement, EU policy framework

• Regional Protection Programmes (RPPs)
• Enhance protection in specific region
• Emphasis on capacity building
• Identify protection gaps and develop measures in
  complement to humanitarian and development
  activities
• Resettlement is important component
• Two pilot regions Tanzania (Great Lakes)
  Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova
• currently RPP-projects carried out in all four
  countries (by different partners UNHCR, NGOs
  (Danish Refugee Council, Caritas-Austria,
  Save-the-children), authorities of third countries

Living in an area of Freedom, Justice and Security
European Commission
Directorate General Justice, Freedom and Security
5
Resettlement, policies and objectives

• Policy documents
• The Hague Programme (2004),
• Communications on improving access to durable
  solutions (2004) and on Regional Protection
  Programmes (2005)
• Objectives
• Promote resettlement in general
• Commission has put it on the agenda and will
  continue to do so
• Aim is to have more Member States participating
  in resettlement
• Political significance even if not at large
  scale, participation important
• Cooperation among Member States which have
  resettlement policies

Living in an area of Freedom, Justice and Security
European Commission
Directorate General Justice, Freedom and Security
6
Resettlement, financial underpinning

• European Refugee Fund III (2008-2013)
• ERF III is part of a General Programme, which
  consists of four Funds,
• Integration Fund, External Border Fund, Return
  Fund
• Objective support and encourage efforts by
  Member States in receiving refugees and displaced
  persons / solidarity mechanism
• Total amount of the General Programme 4026,9
  million
• ERF annual increase 78.3 (2007), 82 , 98 ,
  98 , 110 , 110 , 130
• (total 706.3 )
• New ERF underpins the Hague programme on asylum

Living in an area of Freedom, Justice and Security
European Commission
Directorate General Justice, Freedom and Security
7
Resettlement, financial underpinning

• Key changes ERF regarding resettlement
• ERF national programmes
• Resettlement from third countries to MS mentioned
  as eligible action for funding
• Persons who are being or who have been resettled
  mentioned as additional target group
• Additional financial support for resettlement of
  certain particularly vulnerable categories of
  persons / RPPs (bonus of 4.000 Euro for each
  person)
• Wide variety of resettlement activities can be
  supported under ERF III
• ERF community actions
• Increase in percentage Community Actions 10
• to address practical cooperation needs

Living in an area of Freedom, Justice and Security
European Commission
Directorate General Justice, Freedom and Security
8
Resettlement, current activities

• Current projects, funded by ERF Community Actions
  
• Fostering cooperation on resettlement,
  integration models (MORE, MOST)
• Advocacy towards governments and NGOs on
  resettlement (CCME)
• Sharing best practices (ICMC)
• Familiarizing other Member States with
  resettlement (twinning)
• New project proposals under ERF Community Actions

Living in an area of Freedom, Justice and Security
European Commission
Directorate General Justice, Freedom and Security
9
Resettlement, activities

• Political developments
• Green Paper (summer 2007)
• Expert meetings (November 2007 and 28 May 2008)
• Policy plan (June 2008)
• Cooperation within EU joint resettlement scheme
• Expand resettlement
• Broaden the basis participation of more MS
• Resettlement as joint EU effort common political
  and strategic priorities
• Participation on voluntary basis
• Cooperation on practical and logistical aspects
  organization of (joint) missions, medical and
  security screening, preparation and submission of
  cases by UNHCR, travel arrangements, integration
  programmes

Living in an area of Freedom, Justice and Security
European Commission
Directorate General Justice, Freedom and Security
10
Resettlement, current developments

• Positive developments
• Portugal introduced annual resettlement quota
  (2007)
• Expected establishment Evacuation Transit
  Facility resettlement in Romania
• France-UNHCR concluded agreement incl.
  resettlement (2008)
• Several Member States interested, particularly
  Spain, Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxemburg
• Debate on need to resettle Iraqis
• Letter on resettlement by Ministers of six old
  resettlement Member States to their colleagues
• NL-BE-LUX joint resettlement mission
• UK-IE-BE joint resettlement mission

Living in an area of Freedom, Justice and Security
European Commission
Directorate General Justice, Freedom and Security