Switzerland: Swiss Refugee Council publishes report reception conditions for asylum seekers and persons with international protection in Italy

Date: 
Monday, October 21, 2013

The Report finds that 8 out of 10 (83.9% or 3,000/3,551) of Dublin transfers to Italy are issued by Switzerland. According to the Report, due to a comparatively limited reception capacity, only a minority of them are able to benefit from an ERF funded project, which provides 220 places to Dublin asylum seekers. The Swiss Refugee Council (Schweizersiche Fluechtlingshilfe), ECRE Member, met Italian NGOs and governmental officials in May/June 2013, and expresses deep concern about the situation of recognised refugees sent back to Italy who are considered able to work and thus self-sufficient, and thereby lose access to accommodation centres, social assistance or other assistance. This has resulted in homelessness and a failure to protect vulnerable persons – in particular women and families with children – from exposure to exploitation. Due to Italy’s economic crisis refugees encounter obstacles in accessing the labour market and integrating into Italy’s society. The Report also argues that Italy’s weak social assistance system, with long waiting periods, leaves recognised refugees without a social net or family ties. Italy is one of the EU’s main entry points for asylum seekers and refugees with a total of around 64,000 persons.  However, the Report exposes that the deficient asylum system leaves many homeless or forced to engage in criminal activities and prostitution.

Read the full Report (German only - translations forthcoming) and the Swiss Refugee Council's Press Release.

EDAL and the Weekly Legal Update would like to thank Muriel Trummer, the Swiss ELENA coordinator, for informing ECRE about this report.


This item was reproduced with the permission of ECRE from the weekly ELENA legal update supported by the Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Funding Programme and distributed by email. The purpose of these updates is to inform asylum lawyers and legal organizations supporting asylum seekers and refugees of recent developments in the field of asylum law. Please note that the information provided is taken from publicly available information on the internet. Every reasonable effort is made to make the content accurate and up to date at the time each item is published but no responsibility for its accuracy and correctness, or for any consequences of relying on it, is assumed by ECRE, the IRC or its partners.

Keywords: 
Dublin Transfer
Reception conditions
Vulnerable person
Tags: 
Switzerland
Italy
NGO