The JHA Council, on the 18th April 2008, adopted conclusions on practical cooperation which invite the Commission to come forward in the near future with proposals to provide adequate support for practical cooperation activities between Member States, including the creation of an Asylum Support Office which would provide for adequate structural and financial backing in order to guarantee the level of ambition necessary to complete the Common European Asylum System.

The main goal of practical co-operation between asylum national administrations is to improve the quality and convergence of Member States decision-making, through, inter alia, exchange of good practice, joint training activities and the sharing of information on countries from which asylum seekers originate. This is in the interest of both the Members States and asylum-seekers. Better quality and convergence will contribute to level the EU asylum playing field and build a single asylum space which gives protection to those who require it and deal fairly and efficiently with those without protection requirements.

However, the current EU-framework does not yet provide enough structural support for practical cooperation. Many activities are carried out on an ad hoc basis, for instance through workshops and EC financed projects. The creation of a more permanent structure would provide possibilities to have adequate human and financial resources to ensure sustainability and better coordination of all the practical cooperation activities.

What preceded the idea for this cooperation?

The Hague Programme adopted by the Brussels European Council of 2004 set up the blueprint in the area of Justice and Home Affairs at EU level for the coming years. As far as the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) is concerned, it says that the ultimate goal should be the establishment of the common asylum procedure and uniform status for those granted asylum or subsidiary protection.