France: implementation of the CJEU judgment in the El Karem El Kott case: recognition of refugee status to Palestinians who had to flee an UNRWA camp

The case concerns a couple of Palestinians who were recognised as refugees by the UNRWA. In 2003 they were forced to leave the refugee camp where they used to live in Jordan owing to a conflict with a local family, and went to France. They applied for asylum, but their claims were rejected by the French Asylum Office. On appeal, the National Court of Asylum applied the interpretation that the Court of Justice of the European Union gave to Article 12(1)(a) of the 2004 Qualification Directive in the Abdem El Karem El Kott judgment (C-364/11, 19 December 2012) and recognised refugee status to the applicants. That judgment of the CJEU had determined that Palestinian refugees who were forced to flee UNRWA camps for reasons beyond their control and their will should be automatically recognised as refugees in the European Union.

Read the judgment in the El Karem El Kott case on the website of the CJEU.

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