ECRE and Red Cross EU Office report sheds light on the realities of separated refugee families in the EU
The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) and the Red Cross EU Office last week released a report on refugee family reunification in the EU.
You can read the 32-page report here.
The report, Disrupted Flight - The Realities of Separated Refugee Families in the EU, covers the family reunification process in 12 EU Member States, including the UK.
According to ECRE and the Red Cross, refugees in the EU often face excessive red tape when seeking to reunite with their families, and the report seeks to shed light on some of the complex issues and practical problems that are encountered in the family reunification process.
A press release quoted ECRE's Secretary General as saying: "The anguish of refugees who have found asylum in Europe is deepened by lengthy delays and requests for documents that are impossible to attain, amongst other insurmountable hurdles that prevent them from bringing their families to safety. How can we expect people to rebuild their lives in Europe with the constant fear that their family is still in danger?"
The press release highlighted the "Kafkaesque tale of red tape" encountered by one Somali refugee as she seeks to be reunited with her children.
The report says that the current procedures tend to lead to further isolation and the separation of families, which is contrary to the stated objective of Council Directive 2003/86/EC of 22 September 2003 on the right to family reunification, and in breach of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
In order for the right to family reunification to be effective, ECRE and the Red Cross EU office make a number of recommendations, including that procedures should be applied more flexibly.