European Commission establishes EU asylum agency

European Commission establishes EU asylum agency.

THE European Commission finally establishes the EU asylum agency, according to an announcement on Thursday, December 9.

“The Council today adopted the regulation establishing the EU asylum agency. This regulation aims to improve the application of asylum policy within the EU, by turning the current European asylum support office (EASO) into a fully-fledged agency,” the statement said.

The asylum agency will be responsible for “improving the functioning of the common European asylum system, by providing enhanced operational and technical assistance to member states and by contributing to more convergence in the assessment of applications for international protection”.

Speaking after the announcement, Aleš Hojs, Slovenian Minister for the Interior, said: “Having a fully-fledged EU asylum agency is an important step in the building of our common EU asylum policy. This agency will be able to provide quick, tangible support to member states wherever needed.

“It will also contribute to our cooperation with third countries, showing in a very concrete way the strength of our joint action.”

The European Commission first proposed the EU asylum agency regulations in 2016, its adoption this fall was expedited by the migration crisis on the border with Belarus.

Since summer, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia have reported an influx of migrants crossing over from Belarus.

Last month, Lithuania declared a state of emergency hours after gunfire broke out at the border with Belarus.

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