Asylum procedures at the border

Fast-tracking procedures at European Union external borders for determining whether individuals are entitled to international protection is a priority in the proposed Pact on Migration and Asylum. This European Implementation Assessment concludes that current Member State practice does not result in uniform and effective reviews of applications for international protection on the basis of a fair process. In particular, certain Member States apply time-lines within which no serious consideration of an application is feasible. Furthermore, applicants are placed in detention or restricted in their freedom of movement without considering alternatives and deprived of opportunities to effectively exercise their procedural rights. A number of recommendations are made to address the shortcomings identified in future legal and practical arrangements for border procedures.