2014 FRA Handbook Law Asylum Migration En

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© European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2014Council of Europe, 2014

The manuscript for this Handbook was completed in December 2013. The handbook was firstpublished in four languages in June 2013. This second edition incorporates the changes to the EUasylum acquis published in the summer of 2013. Future updates of this handbook will becomeavailable on the FRA webpage at: http://fra.europa.eu/en/theme/asylum-migration-borders and

on the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) webpage at: www.echr.coe.int under “Publications”.Reproduction is authorised, except for commercial purposes, provided the source is acknowledged.

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This handbook was drafted in English. The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) takes noresponsibility for the quality of the translations into other languages. The views expressed in thishandbook do not bind the ECtHR. The handbook refers to a selection of commentaries and manuals.The ECtHR takes no responsibility for their content, nor does their inclusion on this list amount toany form of endorsement of these publications. Further publications are listed on the Internet

pages of the ECtHR library at: www.echr.coe.int .

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Handbook on European lawrelating to asylum, borders

and immigration

Edition


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ForewordIn March , as a result of their first joint project, the European Union Agency for

Fundamental Rights and the European Court of Human Rights launched a handbookon European law in the field of non-discrimination. Following the positive feedbackreceived, it was decided to pursue this collaboration in another very topical areawhere equally there was felt to be a need for a comprehensive guide to the caselaw of the European Court of Human Rights, the Court of Justice of the EuropeanUnion as well as to relevant EU regulations and directives. The present handbookseeks to provide an overview of the various European standards relevant to asylum,borders and immigration.

The handbook is intended for lawyers, judges, prosecutors, border guards, immi-gration officials and others working with national authorities, as well as non-governmental organisations and other bodies that may be confronted with legalquestions in any of the areas the handbook sets out to cover.

With the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty in December , the Charter ofFundamental Rights of the European Union became legally binding. The LisbonTreaty also provides for EU accession to the European Convention on Human Rights,which is legally binding on all member states of the EU and the Council of Europe.Improving the understanding of common principles developed in the case law of thetwo European courts, and in EU regulations and directives is essential for the properimplementation of relevant standards, thereby ensuring the full respect of funda-mental rights at national level. It is our hope that this handbook will serve to furtherthis important objective.

Erik Fribergh

Registrar of the European Court ofHuman Rights

Morten Kjaerum

Director of the European Union Agencyfor Fundamental Rights


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Contents

FOREWORD ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

ACRONYMS ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

HOW TO USE THIS HANDBOOK ................................................................................................................................................................

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................................................................The Council of Europe ...............................................................................................................................................................................The European Union ...................................................................................................................................................................................The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU ............................................................................................................European Union accession to the European Convention on Human Rights ..........................

Key points ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

. ACCESS TO THE TERRITORY AND TO PROCEDURES ............................................................................................Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. The Schengen visa regime ........................................................................................................................................... Preventing unauthorised entry ............................................................................................................................... Entry bans and Schengen alerts ............................................................................................................................. Border checks ............................................................................................................................................................................... Transit zones .................................................................................................................................................................................

.. Asylum seekers .......................................................................................................................................................................... Push backs at sea ..................................................................................................................................................................... Remedies .........................................................................................................................................................................................Key points ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

. STATUS AND ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION ...........................................................................................................Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. Asylum seekers .......................................................................................................................................................................... Recognised refugees and those recognised as being in need of

subsidiary protection ............................................................................................................................................................ Victims of trafficking and of particularly exploitative labour conditions ............... Persons affected by Rule interim measures .................................................................................. Migrants in an irregular situation ........................................................................................................................... Long-term residents ............................................................................................................................................................. Turkish citizens ............................................................................................................................................................................. Third-country nationals who are family members of EEA or

Swiss nationals ............................................................................................................................................................................ Stateless persons and the loss of citizenship or documentation .................................

Key points ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................


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. ASYLUM DETERMINATION AND BARRIERS TO REMOVAL: SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES ......Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. The right to asylum and the principle of non-refoulement ..............................

... The nature of the risk under EU law ............................................................................................................. The nature of the risk under the ECHR ...................................................................................................

... Assessment of risk ....................................................................................................................................................

... Sufficiency of protection ......................................................................................................................................

... Internal relocation ......................................................................................................................................................

... Safety elsewhere .......................................................................................................................................................

... Exclusion from international protection .................................................................................................

... Cessation of international protection ........................................................................................................

.. Collective expulsion ............................................................................................................................................................... Barriers to expulsion based on other human rights grounds ............................................. Third-country nationals who enjoy a higher degree of protection

from removal .................................................................................................................................................................................. Long-term residents ................................................................................................................................................

... Third-country national family members of EEA and Swiss nationals .........................

... Turkish nationals ..........................................................................................................................................................

Key points ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

. PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS AND LEGAL SUPPORT IN ASYLUMAND RETURN CASES ..................................................................................................................................................................................Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. Asylum procedures ..............................................................................................................................................................

... Interview, examination procedure and initial decision making ........................................

... Right to an effective remedy ..........................................................................................................................

... Appeals with automatic suspensive effect .....................................................................................

... Accelerated asylum procedures ................................................................................................................

.. Dublin procedures ..............................................................................................................................................................

.. Procedures relating to reception conditions of asylum seekers ................................. Return procedures ............................................................................................................................................................... Legal assistance in asylum and return procedures ...................................................................

... Legal assistance in asylum procedures ...............................................................................................

... Legal assistance in return decisions .......................................................................................................

... Legal assistance to challenge asylum support decisions ...................................................

Key points ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................

. PRIVATE AND FAMILY LIFE AND THE RIGHT TO MARRY ...........................................................................

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... The right to marry and to found a family ..............................................................................................


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.. Family regularisation ........................................................................................................................................................ Family reunification ........................................................................................................................................................... Maintaining the family – protection from expulsion ................................................................

... Relationship breakdown ...................................................................................................................................... Criminal convictions ...............................................................................................................................................

Key points ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................

. DETENTION AND RESTRICTIONS TO FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT .....................................................Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... Deprivation of liberty or restriction on the freedom of movement? .................... Alternatives to detention ............................................................................................................................................ Exhaustive list of exceptions to the right to liberty ...................................................................

... Detention to prevent an unauthorised entry into the country ......................................... Detention pending deportation or extradition .............................................................................

.. Prescribed by law ................................................................................................................................................................. Necessity and proportionality ............................................................................................................................... Arbitrariness ..............................................................................................................................................................................

... Good faith .......................................................................................................................................................................

... Due diligence ...............................................................................................................................................................

... Realistic prospect of removal .......................................................................................................................

... Maximum length of detention ....................................................................................................................

.. Detention of individuals with specific needs ...................................................................................... Procedural safeguards ..................................................................................................................................................

... Right to be given reasons ................................................................................................................................

... Right to review of detention .........................................................................................................................

.. Detention conditions or regimes ....................................................................................................................... Compensation for unlawful detention ......................................................................................................Key points ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................

. FORCED RETURNS AND MANNER OF REMOVAL ...............................................................................................

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... Carrying out removal: safe, dignified and humane .................................................................... Confidentiality ........................................................................................................................................................................... Serious harm caused by restraint measures ...................................................................................... Investigations ..........................................................................................................................................................................Key points ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................

. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RIGHTS ............................................................................................................................................Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................................................

.. Main sources of law .......................................................................................................................................................... Economic rights .....................................................................................................................................................................


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... Family members of EEA and Swiss nationals ................................................................................

... Posted workers .........................................................................................................................................................

... Blue Card holders, researchers and students ................................................................................

... Turkish citizens .............................................................................................................................................................. Long-term residents and beneficiaries of the Family Reunification Directive

... Nationals of other countries with association or cooperation agreements ......

... Asylum seekers and refugees .....................................................................................................................

... Migrants in an irregular situation ..............................................................................................................

.. Education ........................................................................................................................................................................................ Housing ............................................................................................................................................................................................. Healthcare ..................................................................................................................................................................................... Social security and social assistance ...........................................................................................................

Key points ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................

. PERSONS WITH SPECIFIC NEEDS .............................................................................................................................................Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... Unaccompanied minors ..............................................................................................................................................

... Reception and treatment .................................................................................................................................

... Age assessment .......................................................................................................................................................

.. Victims of human trafficking .................................................................................................................................. Persons with disabilities .............................................................................................................................................

.. Victims of torture and other serious forms of violence .......................................................Key points ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................

FURTHER READING .............................................................................................................................................................................................

ONLINE SOURCES ..................................................................................................................................................................................................

LIST OF CASES ............................................................................................................................................................................................................

HOW TO FIND CASE LAW OF THE EUROPEAN COURTS .........................................................................................

EU INSTRUMENTS AND SELECTED AGREEMENTS ........................................................................................................

ANNEX : APPLICABILITY OF EU REGULATIONS AND DIRECTIVES CITED

IN THIS HANDBOOK .............................................................................................................................................................

ANNEX : APPLICABILITY OF SELECTED COUNCIL OF EUROPE INSTRUMENTS ........................

ANNEX : ACCEPTANCE OF ESC PROVISIONS ....................................................................................................................

ANNEX : ACCEPTANCE OF SELECTED UN CONVENTIONS ................................................................................

ANNEX : COUNTRY CODES .....................................................................................................................................................................


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AcronymsCAT United Nations Convention Against Torture

CJEU Court of Justice of the European Union (prior to December ,European Court of Justice)

CoE Council of Europe

CRC United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

CRPD United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

CPT European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or

Degrading Treatment or PunishmentEASO European Asylum Support Office

ECHR European Convention on Human Rights

ECtHR European Court of Human Rights

ECJ European Court of Justice (since December , Court of Justice ofthe European Union)

ECSR European Committee of Social Rights

EEA European Economic Area

EEA nationals Nationals of one of the EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtensteinand Norway

EEC European Economic Community

EFTA European Free Trade Association

ESC European Social Charter

EU European Union

FRA European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

Frontex European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperationat the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union

ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

PACE Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe


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RABIT Rapid Border Intervention Teams

SAR Search and Rescue

SIS Schengen Information System

SOLAS Safety of Life at Sea

TEU Treaty on European Union

TFEU Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union

UN United Nations

UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNMIK United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo

UNRWA United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees inthe Near East


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How to use this handbookThis handbook provides an overview of the law applicable to asylum, border man-

agement and immigration in relation to European Union (EU) law and the EuropeanConvention on Human Rights (ECHR). It looks at the situation of those foreignerswhom the EU usually refers to as third-country nationals, although such distinction isnot relevant for cited ECHR law.

The handbook does not cover the rights of EU citizens, or those of citizens of Iceland,Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland who, under EU law, can enter the territory ofthe EU freely and move freely within it. Reference to such categories of citizens willbe made only where necessary in order to understand the situation of family mem-

bers who are third-country nationals.

There are, under EU law, some different categories of third-country nationals,each with different rights that vary according to the links they have with EU MemberStates or that result from their need for special protection. For some, such as asylumseekers, EU law provides a comprehensive set of rules, whereas for others, such asstudents, it only regulates some aspects while leaving other rights to EU MemberStates’ discretion. In general, third-country nationals who are allowed to settle inthe EU are typically granted more comprehensive rights than those who stay onlytemporarily. Table provides a broad overview of the various categories of third-country nationals under EU law.

This handbook is designed to assist legal practitioners who are not specialised inthe field of asylum, borders and immigration law; it is intended for lawyers, judges,prosecutors, border guards, immigration officials and others working with nationalauthorities, as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other bodies thatmay be confronted with legal questions relating to these subjects. It is a first point

of reference on both EU and ECHR law related to these subject areas, and explainshow each issue is regulated under EU law as well as under the ECHR, the EuropeanSocial Charter (ESC) and other instruments of the Council of Europe. Each chapterfirst presents a single table of the applicable legal provisions under the two sepa-rate European legal systems. Then the relevant laws of these two European ordersare presented one after the other as they may apply to each topic. This allows thereader to see where the two legal systems converge and where they differ.

Practitioners in non-EU states that are member states of the Council of Europe and

thereby parties to the ECHR can access the information relevant to their own country


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Handbook on European law relating to asylum, borders and immigration

by going straight to the ECHR sections. Practitioners in EU Member States will needto use both sections as those states are bound by both legal orders. For those whoneed more information on a particular issue, a list of references to more specialisedmaterial can be found in the ‘Further reading’ section of the handbook.

ECHR law is presented through short references to selected European Court ofHuman Rights (ECtHR) cases related to the handbook topic being covered. Thesehave been chosen from the large number of ECtHR judgments and decisions onmigration issues that exist.

EU law is found in legislative measures that have been adopted, in relevant provi-

sions of the Treaties and in particular in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of theEuropean Union, as interpreted in the case law of the Court of Justice of the EuropeanUnion (CJEU, otherwise referred to, until , as the European Court of Justice (ECJ)).

The case law described or cited in this handbook provides examples of an importantbody of both ECtHR and CJEU case law. The guidelines at the end of this handbookare intended to assist the reader in searching for case law online.

Not all EU Member States are bound by all the different pieces of EU legislation in the

field of asylum, border management and immigration. Annex on the ‘Applicabil-ity of EU regulations and directives cited in this handbook’ provides an overview ofwhich states are bound by which provisions. It also shows that Denmark, Ireland andthe United Kingdom have most frequently opted out of the instruments listed in thishandbook. Many EU instruments concerning borders, including the Schengen acquis – meaning all EU law adopted in this field – and certain other EU law instruments,also apply to some non-EU Member States, namely Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norwayand/or Switzerland.

While all Council of Europe member states are party to the ECHR, not all of themhave ratified or acceded to all of the ECHR Protocols or are State Party to the otherCouncil of Europe conventions mentioned in this handbook. Annex provides anoverview of the applicability of selected Council of Europe instruments, including therelevant Protocols to the ECHR.

Substantial differences also exist among the states which are party to the ESC.States joining the ESC system are allowed to decide whether to sign up to individual

articles, although subject to certain minimum requirements. Annex provides anoverview of the acceptance of ESC provisions.


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How to use this handbook

The handbook does not cover international human rights law or refugee law, exceptto the extent that this has been expressly incorporated into ECHR or EU law. This isthe case with the Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (Geneva Convention), which is expressly referred to in Article of the Treaty on theFunctioning of the European Union (TFEU). European states remain, of course, boundby all treaties to which they are party. The applicable international instruments arelisted in Annex .

The handbook includes an introduction, which briefly explains the role of the twolegal systems as established by ECHR and EU law, and nine chapters covering thefollowing issues:

• access to the territory and to procedures;

• status and associated documentation;

• asylum determination and barriers to removal: substantive issues;

• procedural safeguards and legal support in asylum and return cases;

• private and family life and the right to marry;

• detention and restrictions on the freedom of movement;

• forced returns and manner of removal;

• economic and social rights;

• persons with specific needs.

Each chapter covers a distinct subject while cross-references to other topics andchapters provide a fuller understanding of the applicable legal framework. Keypoints are presented at the end of each chapter.

The electronic version of the handbook contains hyperlinks to the case law of thetwo European courts and to EU legislation cited. Hyperlinks to EU law sources bringthe reader to eur-lex overview pages, from where the reader can open the case or

the piece of legislation in any available EU language.


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Table : Categories of third-country nationals under EU law

Persons with rights derivedfrom EU free movementprovisions

Family members of citizens of EU Member States

Persons with rightsderived from internationalagreements

Family members of citizens of the European Economic Area(EEA) and Switzerland

Turkish citizens and their family members

Citizens of countries which have concluded bilateral ormultilateral agreements with the EU (over countries)

Short- and long-termimmigrants

Family members of third-country national sponsors

Long-term residents in the EU

Blue Card holders and their family members

Posted workersResearchers

Students

Seasonal workers

Intra-corporate transferees

Persons in need ofprotection

Asylum seekers

Beneficiaries of subsidiary protection

Beneficiaries of temporary protection

Refugees

Victims of human traffickingMigrants in an irregularsituation

Illegally-staying third-country nationals

Illegally-staying third-country nationals whose removal hasbeen postponed

Note: Italics added to any EU legislation on categories still pending as at December .Source: FRA,


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This introduction will briefly explain the roles of the two European legal orders reg-ulating migration. References to the Council of Europe legal system will primarilyrelate to the ECHR and the case law developed by the ECtHR, except for Chapter ,which also presents the ESC. EU law is mainly presented through the relevant regu-lations and directives and in the provisions of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The Council of EuropeThe Council of Europe was formed in the aftermath of the Second World War tobring together the states of Europe to promote the rule of law, democracy, humanrights and social development. For this purpose, it adopted the ECHR in . TheECtHR – and the former European Commission of Human Rights – was set up underArticle of the ECHR to ensure that states observed their obligations under theConvention. The ECtHR does this by considering complaints from individuals, groupsof individuals, non-governmental organisations or legal persons alleging viola-tions of the Convention. As at December , the Council of Europe comprised

member states, of these being also members of the EU. An applicant before theECtHR is not required to be a citizen or a lawful resident of one of those memberstates, except for some specific provisions. The ECtHR can also examine inter-statecases brought by one or more Council of Europe member states against anothermember state.

The ECHR contains few provisions expressly mentioning foreigners or limiting certainrights to nationals or lawful residents (for example, Articles , and of Protocol

to the ECHR and Article of Protocol ). Migration issues have generated a vast

Introduction


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body of case law from the ECtHR, a selection of which is presented as examples inthis handbook. They mainly relate to Articles , , and of the ECHR.

Article of the ECHR requires states to “secure” the Convention rights to “every-one within their jurisdiction”. This includes foreigners; in certain specific cases, theconcept of jurisdiction can extend beyond the territory of a state. A State Party tothe ECHR is responsible under Article of the ECHR for all acts and omissions of itsorgans regardless of whether the act or omission in question was a consequence ofdomestic law or of the necessity to comply with international legal obligations.

Article of the ECHR requires states to provide a national remedy for complaints

made under the Convention. The principle of subsidiarity places the primary respon-sibility on states to ensure their compliance with obligations under the ECHR, leavingrecourse to the ECtHR as a last resort.

States have an international obligation to ensure that their officials comply with theECHR. All Council of Europe member states have now incorporated or given effectto the ECHR in their national law, which requires their judges and officials to act inaccordance with the provisions of the Convention.

The provisions of the Council of Europe’s ESC, adopted in and revised in ,complement the ECHR provisions in relation to social rights. As at December , out of the Council of Europe member states had ratified the ESC. The ESCdoes not provide for a court, but does have the European Committee of Social Rights(ECSR), which is composed of independent experts who rule on the conformity ofnational law and practice within the framework of two procedures: the reportingprocedure under which states submit national reports with regular intervals; and thecollective complaints procedure, which allows organisations to lodge complaints.The ECSR adopts conclusions in respect of national reports and adopts decisions in

respect of collective complaints. Some of its conclusions and decisions are men-tioned in this handbook.

ECtHR, Matthews v. the United Kingdom [GC], No. /, ECHR -I, para. ; ECtHR, BosphorusHava Yolları Turizm ve Ticaret Anonim Şirketi v. Ireland [GC], No. /, ECHR -VI, para. .

Thirty-two states are bound by the revised ESC and by the Charter. The ESC offers thepossibility to State Parties to sign up to specific provisions only. Annex provides an overview of theapplicability of ESC provisions.

The complaints procedure is optional (as opposed to the reporting procedure) and, as atSeptember , had been accepted by states that are party to the ESC.

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Introduction

The European UnionThe EU comprises Member States. EU law is composed of treaties and secondary

EU law. The treaties, namely the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Treaty onthe Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), have been approved by all EU Mem-ber States and are also referred to as ‘primary EU law’. The regulations, directivesand decisions of the EU have been adopted by the EU institutions that have beengiven such authority under the treaties; they are often referred to as ‘secondaryEU law’.

The EU has evolved from three international organisations established in the sthat dealt with energy, security and free trade; collectively, they were known as the

European Communities. The core purpose of the European Communities was thestimulation of economic development through the free movement of goods, capital,people and services. The free movement of persons is thus a core element of theEU. The first regulation on the free movement of workers in recognised thatworkers must not only be free to move, but also able to take their family members – of whatever nationality – with them. The EU has developed an accompanying bodyof complex legislation on the movement of social security entitlements, on socialassistance rights and on healthcare as well as provisions relating to the mutual rec-ognition of qualifications. Much of this law which was developed for EU nationalsprimarily also applies to various categories of non-EU nationals.

Nationals of non-EU Member States – namely of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway –that are part of the European Economic Area (EEA), which entered into force in ,have the same free movement rights as EU nationals. Similarly, based on a specialagreement concluded with the EU on June , Swiss nationals enjoy a right tomove and settle in the EU. The EU and EEA states, together with Switzerland, are allmembers of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which is an intergovern-

mental organisation set up for the promotion of free trade and economic integra-tion. EFTA has its own institutions, including a court. The EFTA Court is competent tointerpret the EEA Agreement with regard to Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. It ismodelled on the CJEU and tends to follow its case law.

Council Regulation (EEC) No. /, October .

Agreement on the European Economic Area, May , Part III, Free Movement of Persons, Servicesand Capital, OJ L.

Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, on the one part, and the SwissConfederation, on the other, on the free movement of persons, signed in Luxembourg on June ,entered into force on June , OJ L /.

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31968R1612http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31968R1612http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31968R1612http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.1994.001.01.0003.01.ENGhttp://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:22002A0430%2801%29http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:22002A0430%2801%29http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:22002A0430%2801%29http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:22002A0430%2801%29http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:22002A0430%2801%29http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.1994.001.01.0003.01.ENGhttp://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31968R1612


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Turkish citizens may also have a privileged position under EU law. They do not havethe right to freedom of movement into or within the EU. However, in theEuropean Economic Community (EEC)-Turkey Association Agreement (the AnkaraAgreement) was concluded with Turkey and an additional protocol was adoptedin (‘Additional Protocol to the Ankara Agreement’). As a result, those Turkishcitizens who are permitted to enter the EU to work or establish themselves enjoycertain privileges, have the right to remain and are protected from expulsion. Theyalso benefit from a standstill clause in Article of the Additional Protocol to theAnkara Agreement, which prevents them from being subjected to more restrictionsthan those which were in place at the time at which the clause came into effect forthe host Member State. The EU has also concluded agreements with several other

countries (see Chapter , Section ..), but none of those are as wide-ranging asthe Ankara Agreement.

The Treaty of Maastricht entered into force in and created citizenship of theUnion, although predicated on possessing the citizenship of one of the EU MemberStates. This concept has been widely used to buttress freedom of movement forcitizens and their family members of any nationality.

In , the Schengen Agreement was signed, which led to the abolition of internal

border controls of participating EU Member States. By , a complex system forapplying external controls was put in place, regulating access to the Schengen area.In , the Schengen system – regulated thus far at an international level – becamepart of the EU legal order. It continues to evolve and develop in the context of theSchengen Borders Code, which consolidates EU rules relating to border manage-ment. In , the EU agency Frontex was created to assist EU Member States in themanagement of the external borders of the Union.

Since the Treaty of Rome in , successive treaty amendments have enlarged

the competence of the European Communities (EC), now the EU, in issues affectingmigration; the Treaty of Amsterdam gave the EU new competence across the fieldof borders, immigration and asylum, including visas and returns. This process culmi-nated with the Treaty of Lisbon which afforded the EU new competence in the fieldof integration of third-country nationals.

EEC-Turkey Association Agreement (), OJ No. of December (Ankara Agreement),which was supplemented by an Additional Protocol signed in November , OJ L .

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Introduction

Against this background, there has been an ongoing evolution of the EU asylumacquis, a body of intergovernmental agreements, regulations and directives thatgoverns almost all asylum-related matters in the EU. Not all EU Member States,however, are bound by all elements of the asylum acquis (see Annex ).

Over the past decade, the EU has adopted legislation concerning immigration to theEU for certain categories of persons as well as rules on third-country nationals resid-ing lawfully within the Union (see Annex ).

Under the EU treaties, the EU established its own court, which was known as theEuropean Court of Justice (ECJ) until the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon in

December ; since then, it has been renamed the Court of Justice of the Euro-pean Union (CJEU). The CJEU is entrusted with a number of competences. On the onehand, the Court has the right to decide over the validity of EU acts and over failuresto act by the EU institutions under EU and relevant international law, as well as todecide over infringements of EU law by EU Member States. On the other hand, theCJEU retains an exclusive competence in ensuring the correct and uniform applica-tion and interpretation of EU law in all EU Member States. Pursuant to Article ()of the TFEU, access to the CJEU by individuals is relatively narrow.

However, individual complaints having as an object the interpretation or the valid-ity of EU law can always be brought before national courts. The judicial authoritiesof EU Member States, based on the duty of sincere cooperation and the principlesthat rule effectiveness of EU law at national level, are entrusted with the responsibil-ity to ensure that EU law is correctly applied and enforced in the national legal sys-tem. In addition, following the ECJ ruling in the Francovich case, EU Member Statesare required, under certain conditions, to provide redress, including compensationin appropriate cases for those who have suffered as a consequence of a MemberState’s failure to comply with EU law. In case of doubt on the interpretation or the

This handbook refers to the ECJ for decisions and judgments issued prior to December and to theCJEU for cases ruled on since December .

This, for example, was the case in ECJ, Joined Cases C-/ P and C-/ P [] I-,Kadi and Al Barakaat International Foundation v. Council of the European Union and Commission of the EuropeanCommunities, September .

ECJ, Joined Cases C-/ and C-/ [] ECR I-, Francovich and Bonifaci and Others v. ItalianRepublic, November ; ECJ, Case C-/ [] ECR I-, Francovich v. Italian Republic, November .

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validity of an EU provision, national courts can – and must in certain cases – seekguidance from the CJEU using the preliminary reference procedure under Article of the TFEU. In the area of freedom, security and justice, the urgent preliminary rul-ing procedure (PPU) was created to ensure a quick ruling in cases pending beforeany national court or tribunal with regard to a person in custody.

The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EUThe original treaties of the European Communities did not contain any reference tohuman rights or their protection. However, as cases came before the ECJ alleginghuman rights breaches occurring in areas within the scope of EU law, the ECJ devel-

oped a new approach to grant protection to individuals by including fundamentalrights in the so-called ‘general principles’ of European law. According to the ECJ,these general principles would reflect the content of human rights protection foundin national constitutions and human rights treaties, in particular the ECHR. The ECJstated that it would ensure compliance of EU law with these principles.

In recognising that its policies could have an impact on human rights and in an effortto make citizens feel ‘closer’ to the EU, the EU proclaimed the Charter of Fundamen-tal Rights of the European Union in . The Charter contains a list of human rights

inspired by the rights enshrined in EU Member State constitutions, the ECHR, the ESCand international human rights treaties, such as the United Nations (UN) Conventionon the Rights of the Child (CRC). The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights as proclaimedin was merely a ‘declaration’, meaning it was not legally binding. The EuropeanCommission, the primary body for proposing new EU legislation, soon thereafterstated that it would ensure compliance of legislative proposals with the Charter.

According to Art. (), such obligation always arises for courts against whose decisions there is no judicial remedy under national law and concern also other courts whenever a preliminary reference

concerns the validity of an EU provision and there are grounds to consider that the challenge isfounded (see, for example, ECJ, Foto-Frost v. Hauptzollamt Lübeck-Ost , C-/ [] ECR , October ).

See Statute of the Court of Justice, Protocol No. , Art. a and Rules of Procedure of the Court of Justice, Art. -. For a better overview of cases that might be subjected to a PPU, see CJEU,Recommendations to national courts and tribunals in relation to the initiation of preliminary ruling proceedings (/C /), November , para. : “for example, consider submitting arequest for the urgent preliminary ruling procedure to be applied in the case, referred to in the fourth paragraph of Article TFEU, of a person in custody or deprived of his liberty, where the answer tothe question raised is decisive as to the assessment of that person’s legal situation, or in proceedingsconcerning parental authority or custody of children, where the identity of the court having jurisdictionunder European Union law depends on the answer to the question referred for a preliminary ruling”.

ECJ, Case C-/ [] ECR , Liselotte Hauer v. Land Rheinland-Pfalz, December ,para. .

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When the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force on December , it altered thestatus of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, making it legally binding. As a result,EU institutions (as well as EU Member States) are bound to comply with the Charter“when implementing EU law” (Article of the Charter).

A Protocol has been adopted interpreting the Charter in relation to Poland and theUK. In a migration case before the CJEU, the Court held that the main purposeof such Protocol was to limit the application of the Charter in the field of social rights.The Court furthermore held that the Protocol does not affect the implementation ofEU asylum law.

Article of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights contains – for the first time atEuropean, level – a right to asylum. According to Article , it is a qualified right:“[t]he right to asylum shall be guaranteed with due respect for the rules of theGeneva Convention [...] and in accordance with the Treaty on European Union andthe Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union […].” Article of the Char-ter includes a prohibition to return a person to a situation where he or she has awell-founded fear of being persecuted or runs a real risk of torture or inhuman anddegrading treatment or punishment (principle of non-refoulement ).

Moreover, other Charter provisions on the protection granted to individuals appearto be relevant in the context of migration. Article of the Charter provides for anautonomous right to an effective remedy and lays down fair trial principles. Theprinciple of judicial review enshrined in Article requires a review by a tribunal.This provides broader protection than Article of the ECHR which guarantees theright to an effective remedy before a national authority that is not necessarily acourt. Furthermore, Article of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights stipulatesthat the minimum protection afforded by the Charter provisions are those providedby the ECHR; the EU may nevertheless apply a more generous interpretation of the

rights than that put forward by the ECtHR.

CJEU, Joined Cases C-/ and C-/, N. S. v. Secretary of State for the Home Department andM. E. and Others v. Refugee Applications Commissioner and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, December .

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European Union accession to the EuropeanConvention on Human RightsEU law and the ECHR are closely connected. The CJEU looks to the ECHR for inspira-tion when determining the scope of human rights protection under EU law. The EUCharter of Fundamental Rights reflects the range of rights provided for by the ECHR,although it is not limited to these rights. Accordingly, EU law has largely developedin line with the ECHR although the EU is not yet a signatory to the ECHR. Accordingto the law as it currently stands, however, individuals wishing to complain about theEU and its failure to guarantee human rights are not entitled to bring an applicationagainst the EU as such before the ECtHR. Under certain circumstances, it may be pos-

sible to complain indirectly about the EU by bringing an action against one or moreEU Member States before the ECtHR.

The Lisbon Treaty contains a provision mandating the EU to join the ECHR as a partyin its own right and Protocol to the ECHR amends the ECHR to allow this acces-sion to take place. It is not yet clear what effect this will have in practice and, inparticular, how this will influence the relationship between the CJEU and ECtHR inthe future. The EU’s accession to the ECHR is, however, likely to improve access to justice for individuals who consider that the EU has failed to guarantee their human

rights. The negotiations for the EU’s accession to the ECHR are ongoing and may takeseveral years.

For more details on ECtHR case law in this complex area, see, in particular, ECtHR, Bosphorus Hava YollarıTurizm ve Ticaret Anonim Şirketi v. Ireland [GC], No. /, June .

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Introduction

Key points

• Migration into and within Europe is regulated by a combination of national law,EU law, the ECHR, the ESC and by other international obligations entered into by Euro-pean states.

• Complaints against acts or omissions by a public authority violating the ECHR may bebrought against any of the member states of the Council of Europe. These includeall EU Member States. The ECHR protects all individuals within the jurisdiction ofany of its states, regardless of their citizenship or residence status.

• Article of the ECHR requires states to provide a national remedy for complaintsunder the Convention. The principle of subsidiarity, as understood in the ECHR con-

text, places the primary responsibility for ensuring compliance with the ECHR on thestates themselves, leaving recourse to the ECtHR as a last resort.

• Complaints against acts or omissions by an EU Member State violating EU law canbe brought to national courts, which are under an obligation to ensure that EU lawis correctly applied and may – and sometimes must – refer the case to the CJEU for apreliminary ruling on the interpretation or the validity of the EU provision concerned.


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EU Issues covered CoEConvention implementing the Schengen Agreement, June

Visa List Regulation,Regulation (EC) /

Visa Code, Regulation (EC) /

Schengen visaregime

Carriers Sanctions Directive, //EC

Facilitation Directive, //EC

Preventing

unauthorised entrySchengen Information System (SIS), setup by Title IV of the Conventionimplementing the Schengen Agreement

SIS II Regulation, Regulation(EC) / and SIS II Decision, CouncilDecision //JHA

Return Directive, //EC, Article

Entry ban/Schengen alert

ECHR, Article of ProtocolNo. (freedom of movement)

Schengen Borders Code, Regulation(EC) /

Border checks

Return Directive, //EC,Article ()

Transit zone ECtHR, Amuur v. France, (detention in transit zonefound to be a deprivationof liberty)

EU Charter of Fundamental Rights,Article (right to asylum)

Charter, Article (protection in the eventof removal, expulsion or extradition)

Asylum Procedures Directive, //EU

Asylum seekers ECHR, Article (prohibitionof torture)

Access to the territoryand to procedures

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:42000A0922(02)http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:42000A0922(02)http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32001R0539http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32009R0810http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32009R0810http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32001L0051http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32002L0090http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:42000A0922(02)http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:42000A0922(02)http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32006R1987http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32007D0533http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32007D0533http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008L0115http://www.echr.coe.int/Pages/home.aspx?p=basictexts&c=#n1359128122487_pointerhttp://www.echr.coe.int/Pages/home.aspx?p=basictexts&c=#n1359128122487_pointerhttp://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32006R0562http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008L0115http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/sites/eng/pages/search.aspx?i=001-57988http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/sites/eng/pages/search.aspx?i=001-57988http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:12012P/TXThttp://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:12012P/TXThttp://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32013L0032http://www.echr.coe.int/Pages/home.aspx?p=basictexts&c=#n1359128122487_pointerhttp://www.echr.coe.int/Pages/home.aspx?p=basictexts&c=#n1359128122487_pointerhttp://www.echr.coe.int/Pages/home.aspx?p=basictexts&c=#n1359128122487_pointerhttp://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32013L0032http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:12012P/TXThttp://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:12012P/TXThttp://hudoc.echr.coe.int/sites/eng/pages/search.aspx?i=001-57988http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008L0115http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32006R0562http://www.echr.coe.int/Pages/home.aspx?p=basictexts&c=#n1359128122487_pointerhttp://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008L0115http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32007D0533http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32006R1987http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:42000A0922(02)http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:42000A0922(02)http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32002L0090http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32001L0051http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32009R0810http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32001R0539http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:42000A0922(02)http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:42000A0922(02)


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EU Issues covered CoESchengen Borders Code, Regulation(EC) /, Articles and

Push backs at sea ECtHR, Hirsi Jamaa and Othersv. Italy , (collective

expulsion from high seas)EU Charter of Fundamental Rights,Article (right to an effective remedyand to a fair trial)

Asylum Procedures Directive, //EU

Schengen Borders Code, Regulation (EC)/, Article

Visa Code, Regulation (EC) /,Article () and Article ()

Remedies ECHR, Article (right toeffective remedy)

IntroductionThis chapter provides an overview of the regimes applicable to those who wish toenter the territory of a European state. Furthermore, it sets out the main parametersthat states have to respect under ECHR law as well as under EU law when impos-ing conditions for access to the territory or when carrying out border managementactivities.

As a general rule, states have a sovereign right to control the entry and continuedpresence of non-nationals in their territory. Both EU law and the ECHR impose somelimits on this exercise of sovereignty. Nationals have the right to enter their owncountry, and EU nationals have a general right under EU law to enter other EU Mem-ber States. In addition, as explained in the following paragraphs, both EU law and theECHR prohibit the rejection at borders of persons at risk of persecution or other seri-ous harm (principle of non-refoulement ).

Under EU law, common rules exist for EU Member States regarding the issuance ofshort-term visas and the implementation of border control and border surveillanceactivities. The EU has also set up rules to prevent irregular entry. The EU agencyFrontex was created in to support EU Member States in the management ofexternal EU borders. The agency also provides operational support through jointoperations at land, air or sea borders. Under certain conditions, EU Member Statescan request Frontex to deploy a rapid intervention system known as RABIT. When

Regulation (EC) No. /, October , OJ L /; Regulation (EU) No. /,

October , OJ L /. Regulation (EC) No. /, July , OJ L /.

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Access to the territory and to procedures

acting in the context of a Frontex or RABIT operation, EU Member States main-tain responsibility for their acts and omissions. In October , Regulation (EU) No. / amending Regulation (EC) No. /, which had establishedFrontex, strengthened the fundamental rights obligations incumbent on Frontex. In, the Eurosur Regulation (Regulation (EU) No. /) established a Euro-pean border surveillance system.

As illustrated in Figure , the Schengen acquis applies in full to most EU MemberStates. It establishes a unified system for maintaining external border controls andallows individuals to travel freely across borders within the Schengen area. Notall EU Member States are parties to the Schengen area and the Schengen system

extends beyond the borders of the EU to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Swit-zerland. Article of the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EC) No. /) pro-hibits the application of the code in a way which amounts to refoulement or unlaw-ful discrimination.

Under the ECHR, states have the right as a matter of well-established internationallaw and subject to their treaty obligations (including the ECHR) to control the entry,residence and expulsion of non-nationals. Access to the territory for non-nationalsis not expressly regulated in the ECHR, nor does it say who should receive a visa.

ECtHR case law only imposes certain limitations on the right of states to turn some-one away from their borders, for example, where this would amount to refoule-ment . The case law may, under certain circumstances, require states to allow theentry of an individual when it is a pre-condition for his or her exercise of certainConvention rights, in particular the right to respect for family life.

.. The Schengen visa regime

EU nationals and nationals from those countries that are part of the Schengen areaand their family members have the right to enter the territory of EU Member Stateswithout prior authorisation. They can only be excluded on grounds of public policy,public security or public health.

Under EU law, nationals from countries listed in the Annex to the Visa List Regu-lation (Regulation (EC) No. /, note also amendments) can access the ter-ritory of the EU with a visa issued prior to entry. The Annex to the Regulation is

For more information, see ECtHR, Abdulaziz, Cabales and Balkandali v. the United Kingdom,Nos. /, / and /, May , paras. -.

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regularly amended. The webpage of the European Commission contains an up todate map with visa requirements for the Schengen area. Turkish nationals, whowere not subject to a visa requirement at the time of the entry into force of the pro-visions of the standstill clause, cannot be made subject to a visa requirement in EUMember States.

Figure : Schengen area

IE

UK

FR

NO

SE

FI

EE

LV

LT

PL

CZ

ATHU

SK

RO

BG

EL

CYMT

DE

IT

LICH

LU

BE

NL

PT

ES

IS

DK

SIHR

CANARIAS (ES)

AÇORES (PT)

MADEIRA (PT)

EU Schengen States

Non-Schengen EU States

Non-EU Schengen States

Schengen candidate countries

Source: European Commission, Directorate-General of Home Affairs,

European Commission, Home Affairs, Visa Policies, available at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/

what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/schengen/index_en.htm . Additional Protocol to the Ankara Agreement, OJ L , Art. .

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Personal information on short-term visa applicants is stored in the Visa Informa-tion System (VIS Regulation (EC) No. / as amended by Regulation (EC) No. /), a central IT system which connects consulates and external bordercrossing points.

Visits for up to three months in states that are part of the Schengen area are subjectto the Visa Code (Regulation (EC) No. /, note also amendments). In con-trast, longer stays are the responsibility of individual states, which can regulate thisin their domestic law. Nationals who are exempted from a mandatory visa underthe Visa List Regulation (Regulation (EC) No. /) may require visas prior totheir visit if coming for purposes other than a short visit. All mandatory visas must

be obtained before travelling. Only specific categories of third-country nationals areexempt from this requirement.

Example: In the Koushkaki case, the CJEU held that the authorities of a Mem-ber State cannot refuse to issue a “Schengen visa” to an applicant, unless oneof the grounds for refusal, listed in the Visa Code apply. The national authori-ties have a wide discretion to ascertain this. A visa is to be refused where thereis reasonable doubt as to the applicant’s intention to leave the territory of theMember States before the expiry of the visa applied for. To determine whetherthere is a reasonable doubt as regards that intention, the competent authoritiesmust carry out an individual examination of the visa application which takesinto account the general situation in the applicant’s country of residence andthe applicant’s individual characteristics, inter alia, his family, social and eco-nomic situation, whether he may have previously stayed legally or illegally inone of the Member States and his ties in his country of residence and in theMember States.

Under Article of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement,

third-country nationals who hold uniform visas and who have legally entered the territoryof a Schengen state may freely move within the whole Schengen area while theirvisas are still valid. According to the same article, a residence permit accompaniedby travel documents may under certain circumstances replace a visa. Regulation

CJEU, Case C-/, Rahmanian Koushkaki v. Bundesrepublik Deutschland , December .

Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement of June between the Governments of theStates of the Benelux Economic Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and the French Republic on thegradual abolition of checks at their common borders, OJ L /.

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(EC) No. / lays down a uniform format for residence permits. Aliens notsubject to a visa requirement may move freely within the Schengen territory for amaximum period of three months during the six months following the date of firstentry, provided that they fulfil the entry conditions.

The Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EC) No. / amended by Regula-tion (EU) No. /) abolished internal border controls, except for exceptionalcases. The CJEU has held that states cannot conduct surveillance at internal borders,which has an equivalent effect to border checks. Surveillance, including throughelectronic means, of internal Schengen borders is allowed when based on evi-dence of irregular residence, but it is subject to certain limitations, such as intensity

and frequency.

.. Preventing unauthorised entryUnder EU law, measures have been taken to prevent unauthorised access to EU ter-ritory. The Carriers Sanctions Directive (//EC) provides for sanctions againstthose who transport undocumented migrants into the EU.

The Facilitation Directive (//EC) defines unauthorised entry, transit and resi-dence and provides for sanctions against those who facilitate such breaches. Suchsanctions must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive (Article ). EU MemberStates can decide not to sanction humanitarian assistance, but they are not obligedto do so (Article ()).

.. Entry bans and Schengen alertsAn entry ban prohibits individuals from entering a state from which they have been

expelled. The ban is typically valid for a certain period of time and ensures that indi-viduals who are considered dangerous or non-desirable are not given a visa or oth-erwise admitted to enter the territory.

Council Regulation (EC) No. /, laying down a uniform format for residence permits for third-country nationals, June , OJ L , as amended by Regulation (EC) No. //EC, OJ L /.

CJEU, Joined Cases C-/ and C-/, [] ECR I-, Aziz Melki and Selim Abdeli [GC],

para. . CJEU, Case C-/ PPU, Atiqullah Adil v. Minister voor Immigratie, Integratie en Asiel , July .

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Under EU law, entry bans are entered into a database called the Schengen Informa-tion System (SIS), which the authorities of other states signatory to the SchengenAgreement can access and consult. In practice, this is the only way that the issu-ing state of an entry ban can ensure that the banned third-country national willnot come back to its territory by entering through another EU Member State of theSchengen area and then moving freely without border controls. The Schengen Infor-mation System was replaced by the second-generation Schengen Information Sys-tem (SIS II), which started to be operational on April . SIS II, whose legalbases are the SIS II Regulation and the SIS II Decision, is a more advanced versionof the system and has enhanced functionalities, such as the capability to use biom-etrics and improved possibilities for queries. Entry bans can be challenged.

Example: In the M. et Mme Forabosco case, the French Council of State (Con- seil d’État ) quashed the decision denying a visa to M Forabosco’s wife who waslisted on the SIS database by the German authorities on the basis that her asy-lum application in Germany had been rejected. The French Council of State heldthat the entry ban on the SIS database resulting from a negative asylum deci-sion was an insufficient reason for refusing a French long-term visa.

Example: In the M. Hicham B case, the French Council of State ordered a tempo-rary suspension of a decision to expel an alien because he had been listed onthe SIS database. The decision to expel the alien mentioned the SIS listing butwithout indicating from which country the SIS listing originated. Since expulsiondecisions must contain reasons of law and fact, the expulsion order was consid-ered to be illegal.

For matters falling within the scope of Title IV of the Treaty establishing the European Communitysee: Council Decision //EU of March fixing the date of application of Regulation(EC) No. / of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment, operationand use of the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II), OJ L, p. ; for mattersfalling within the scope of Title VI of the Treaty on European Union see: Council Decision //EU of March fixing the date of application of Decision //JHA on the establishment, operation anduse of the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II), OJ L, p. .

Regulation (EC) No. / of the European Parliament and of the Council, December ,OJ L /.

Council Decision //JHA, June , OJ L /.

France, Council of State (Conseil d’État), M. et Mme Forabosco, No. , June . France, Council of State (Conseil d’État), M. Hicham B, No. , November .

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Documents

2014 FRA Handbook Law Asylum Migration En