Reception conditions for asylum seekers in Norway and the EU
In a new ISF report Jan-Paul Brekke and Vigdis Vevstad take a closer look at the new EU-directive on reception conditions for asylum seekers, and compares EUs legislation and practice with the practice in Norway.
The next four years will lay the premises for European asylum legislation and policy for years to come. A radical harmonization process is well underway. Coordinating mechanisms and common Directives have been put into place during the past ten years. Adoption and implementation of EU legislation constitutes the core in this process and will be fully operational by 2010.
In the report Brekke and Vevstad concludes that although Norway is excluded from having direct influence on this development in many respects, the Dublin and Schengen cooperation formally links the country to aspects of the harmonization. Only by paying close attention to the development of the common asylum and migration policy within the EU and active participation in available fora, will the Norwegian authorities be able to have their opinion heard.
The general picture that is presented shows that the reception conditions in Norway are in line with the new norms in Europe. Some exceptions include; insufficient formal regulation of reception conditions in legislation; no right to access education for asylum seekers aged 16-18; and insufficient attention payed specifically to the rights of victims of violence and torture.
Jan-Paul Brekke
More research on international migration, integration and ethnic relations
Download the report here