Ad-Hoc Query on Fact Finding Missions Requested by LV EMN NCP on 6 th January 2012 Compilation produced on 15 th March 2012 Responses from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Norway (21 in Total) Disclaimer: The following responses have been provided primarily for the purpose of information exchange among EMN NCPs in the framework of the EMN. The contributing EMN NCPs have provided, to the best of their knowledge, information that is up-to-date, objective and reliable. Note, however, that the information provided does 1. Background Information At the moment the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Latvia is planning to introduce a project in the framework of the European Refugee Fund's 2011 annual programme. The sufficient increase of asylum seekers in last year highlighted the necessity to get more country of origin information of asylum seekers. Thus, the implementation of the project will include such activity as organizing Fact finding mission (hereafter - FFM) to the country of origin of asylum seekers. Due to the fact that Latvia hasn t implemented such activity before and in order to find out current situation in the EU Member States regarding FFM, it would be highly appreciated, if you could provide necessary information on that. 1 of 5
1. What is the current situation in Your Member State is there any experience to organize FFM or maybe there are any plans to do that in the nearest future? 2. If Yes to which country of origin? 3. How often FFM is organized and how much time does it take? 2. Responses Wider Dissemination? Austria No This EMN NCP has provided a response to the requesting EMN NCP. However, they have requested that it is not disseminated further. Belgium Yes 1. We ve conducted several FFM s by ourselves or joint with other countries. Belgium chaired the ECS working party on Common EU Guidelines for Fact Finding Missions 2010 (These guidelines are available i.a. on Refworld, MILO and ECOInet). 2. Most recent FFM: Guinea November 2011, with France and Switzerland. 3. We organize FFM s upon our needs. If there s a high influx and we re not able to find the information outside the country of origin or in case that there s a special profile (see also Common EU guidelines on FFM 2010). The length of stay may vary from 5 days to 3 weeks. Although I would like to remark that 3 weeks is exceptional and very hard for the delegation. From now on we aim for FFM of +/- 10 days. Bulgaria Yes The State Agency for Refugees with the Council of Ministers does not have any experience to organize FFM to the country of origin of asylum seekers. Cyprus Yes Cyprus does not have any experience in organizing an FFM. However, there are plans to undergo such a mission within the framework of ERF 2012 Annual Program, in cooperation with another MS, which has had previous experience with FFM. The Asylum Service of the Ministry of the Interior will be the responsible Authority to organize this. Czech Republic Yes Back in 2004, Czech Republic participated in a sort of fact finding mission to Russia organized by the Netherlands in the framework of ARGO Project. The mission itself took one week. Since then we did not participate in nor organized any fact finding mission and none is projected for the near future. Estonia Yes Estonia does not plan to organise any FFMs, also FFMs has never been organised in the past. 2 of 5
Finland Yes 1. Finland has performed some 15 fact-finding missions to various countries including for instance Afganistan, Iraq, Russia and Somaliland. In 2011 we organized one FFM to Amman and Northern Iraq and one FFM to Moscow. 2. In 2012 no FFM is planned. 3. Finland receives some 3000 asylum seekers yearly. We perform on average one FFM per year. Organizing a FFM is time consuming. It is wise to start booking interviews in the country of origin at the latest some 2-3 months before the journey. We have received help from Finnish embassies in organizing interviews, as well as getting hotels and transportation. In countries of origin without a Finnish embassy or consulate we have sought help from IOM. The local IOM offices have been very helpful with organizing interviews and logistics, as they know trustworthy people you can hire such as drivers and interpreters. In the country of origin IOM and UN organizations can also advise you how to travel safely and whether it is necessary to have security personnel travelling with you. An average fact-finding mission takes 1-2 weeks. It is useful to have at least two persons in all interviews, so one can concentrate on note taking, and you can compare notes after the meeting. 3-4 meetings per day is ideal, so you can have in-depth conversations in the meetings. An interview will normally take about 1,5 hrs, so on a daily basis it is useful to have a meeting every two hours, maybe 2 meetings before lunch and two meetings after lunch. After the journey, the fact-finding report is normally published some 3-4 months after the journey. It is possible to make a FFM together with another country. In this case the writing of the fact-finding report will probably take a longer time as both countries need to approve the report. The FFM guidelines also suggest sending notes for the interviewed sources for approval (the approved notes principle). It normally takes some weeks to get the approval (and possible comments and corrections) to the notes from the interviewed sources. Some sources do not answer at all. It is wise to give a deadline for the comments. Finland has followed the EU FFM guidelines in recent fact-finding missions as closely as possible: http://www.ecoi.net/news/94.common-eu-guidelines-on-joint-fact-finding-missionspublished.htm France Yes 1. Yes. Since 2005, fact finding missions have been organised by French authorities. 2. The countries of origin where fact finding missions have been organised by French authorities since 2005 are as follows: - 2005: Bosnia and Herzegovina (from May 24 to June 4) / Bangladesh (from September 25 to October 6) - 2006: Azerbaijan (from 18 to 25 June) / Armenia (from June 26 to July 1) - 2008: Sri Lanka (from 15 to 28 November) / Mali (from 12 to 18 November) - 2009: Democratic Republic of the Congo (from November 12 to December 19) - 2010: Bangladesh (from September 25 to October 6) / Kosovo (from October 31 to November 9) - 2011: Sri Lanka (from 13 to 27 March) 3. One or two fact finding missions have been organised by French authorities each year since 2005. (If French authorities did not organise fact finding mission in 2007, they took part in a European one funded by the ARGO programme in Democratic Republic of the Congo). A fact finding mission lasts around 12 days. Germany No This EMN NCP has provided a response to the requesting EMN NCP. However, they have requested that it is not disseminated further. 3 of 5
Hungary No This EMN NCP has provided a response to the requesting EMN NCP. However, they have requested that it is not disseminated further. Italy Yes 1. Italy has not implemented the organisation of Fact finding mission (FFM) to the country of origin of asylum applicants. So far, information on countries of origin has been gathered through desk research. In particular, the National Commission on Asylum (established by Law n. 189/2002) is in charge of creating and constantly updating a documentation centre on the socio-economic and political situation in the countries of origin of asylum applicants (art. 19 of implementing Decree n. 303/2004). Several projects have been implemented in order to duly accomplish this task, such as the Arif Project whose final result has consisted in the elaboration of an online information service on COI managed by the Italian Refugee Council (that is also member of ECOI.Net). 2. Not applicable 3. Not applicable Latvia Yes 1. Until now Latvia has not implemented the organisation of FFM, but current situation shows the necessity to do that. 2. Possible country as it seems at that moment could be Georgia. 3. Lithuania Yes No, Lithuania has not organised any FFM. Luxembourg Yes 1. In 2011, Luxembourg had been confronted with a high number of asylum seekers - 2164 applications (individuals). 64% of the asylum seekers (=1384), especially of the Roma minority, were coming from the Balkan States Serbia and Macedonia. However, there had not been Find Finding Mission to those countries with the exception of high level political visits from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Serbia, Mr Ivica Dacic to Luxembourg on 5 May 2011 and a visit of the Luxembourgish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Jean Asselborn to Belgrade on 17 May 2011. Just until know there had not been Find Finding Missions to any of these two countries. 2. Not applicable 3. Not applicable Netherlands No This EMN NCP has provided a response to the requesting EMN NCP. However, they have requested that it is not disseminated further. Portugal Yes So far, PT did not organize any FFM. 4 of 5
Slovak Republic Yes 1. The Slovak Republic has not organized any FFM, however, it has participated in the Swiss FFM to Iran in 2007. 2. Depending on the financial sources, language skills and current necessities, the Slovak Republic would like to get involved in a FFM as a partner. We are mainly interested in FFMs to former Soviet Union states but we would also welcome updated information on the current situation in the Arab Spring countries. 3. Not applicable ( the joint FFM in 2007 took 12 days) Spain Yes Spain has not implemented the organisation of FFM so far. Sweden Yes 1. Yes, during 2011 we had FFMs to Kenya (Somalia), Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Iraq, Kuwait and Kirgizistan 2. Plans are made for FFMs this year to Afghanistan (together with Denmark) and Eritrea. The final schedule for FFMs during 2012 has not yet been decided on. 3. The number of FFMs per year varies depending on need and budget. The length of an FFM varies from one to two weeks. Time for preparations and for writing reports afterwards should also be added. United Kingdom Yes 1. We have organised a number of Fact Finding Missions over recent years, mostly recently to the Kurdish Regional Government of Iraq in November 2011. We have no firm plans to conduct any missions in 2012. 2. See above. 3. In the last three years we have organised four missions. The time to organise a mission varies and depends on a number of factors such as the information being sort by the mission, the country of origin (ease of movement to and within, logistics, visas, etc), co-operation of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, experience of researchers and if the mission is single or joint mission with another country (these are not exhaustive). Missions can take between a few weeks and several months to organise. On average around one to two months. Norway Yes 1. Norway conducts 15 25 FFM per year. As of today, Norway has plans to conduct 21 missions in 2012. 2. Missions will be conducted to countries which generate either comprehensive and/or difficult case-loads. 3. Up to 25 times per year. A mission takes about 1 2 weeks. ************************ 5 of 5