site.btaUNHCR Issues Recommendations to Bulgarian EU Presidency

Brussels, December 18 (BTA) - The UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, released a set of recommendations to the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU, published by the Agency Monday.

"This is a critical moment. We need a strong Presidency that paves the way for ensuring a well managed asylum system in the EU, including more solidarity among all EU Member States" UNHCR's Director of the Bureau for Europe, Pascale Moreau, is quoted as saying in the press release.

In its recommendations, UNHCR identifies two priorities in need of urgent attention: better assessing protection needs in the EU and fostering greater solidarity and responsibility-sharing among EU Member States.

UNHCR recommends that the Presidency focuses on swift and efficient procedures to assess international protection needs for those seeking asylum in the EU and is also calling for the reformed Dublin system to include an intra-EU solidarity mechanism entailing the relocation of asylum-seekers, which can be activated simply, swiftly, and as necessary.