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Important news from EUAA and the world of COI

Our approach to COI news

The News section aims to inform users about recent COI publications or upcoming workshops/conferences. EUAA selects information provided in the News section according to its relevance to the COI and asylum fields. EUAA welcomes suggestions to insert a particular news (event, publication).

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14 April 2023

EUAA report on Arab tribes and customary justice in Iraq

The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) has published a thematic report on tribalism and customary law in Iraq, issues that are not frequently addressed in COI due to their complexity and sensitivity. The report sheds light on the structure of the Arab Muslim tribes in Western, Central and Southern Iraq and how tribal law impacts specific groups such as women, Christian converts and Internally-displaced Persons (IDPs) with a perceived affiliation to the so-called Islamic State (ISIL). The purpose of this report is to provide relevant contextual information for the assessment of applications for international protection.

 

Tribal (customary) law is an expression of collective identity and is comprised of sets of codes that guide the relations between tribe members and tribes themselves. The majority of Iraqis are either members of a tribe or are affiliated with the tribal system, especially in the western, central and southern areas of Iraq.

 

The EUAA thematic report shows that tribal disputes and feuds in Iraq are frequent, especially in the governorates of Baghdad, Maysan, Al-Basrah and Thi-Qar, and arise from a wide range of causes including honour, personal or communal disputes and resource-related reasons. The federal Government of Iraq has made efforts to address tribal feuds that lead to security issues, but has only had limited success in some areas. Due to the challenges in the Iraqi justice system as well as societal attitudes, many Iraqis tend to resort to the tribal system for the resolution of disputes.

 

However, tribal practices and disputes as well as their resolution processes may give rise to significant human rights violations, notably for women and persons perceived to be affiliated with ISIL. Access to protection in cases of tribal violence and rights violations remains a challenge. In 2022, EU+ countries lodged around 30 345 asylum applications by Iraqi nationals. During the same period, national authorities took around 27 785 decisions at first instance, and granted an EU-regulated form of protection to around 7 940 applicants, or fewer than one in three.

 

Background

 

This report was drafted in accordance with the EUAA COI Report Methodology by COI researchers from the EUAA COI Sector. The chapters on women, children, and Christian converts were written by Finland's Country Information Service within the Finnish Immigration Service. The report was reviewed by Germany - BAMF, Country Analysis and ACCORD, the Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation. It was also reviewed by an external expert whose areas of expertise include tribalism, conflict and security issues.

 

The reports can be downloaded from the EUAA COI Portal.


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  • Iraq

14 March 2023

Somalia: EU Asylum Agency sheds light on an under-reported conflict

The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) has published two Country of Origin Information (COI) reports on Somalia, providing a detailed update on the security situation and shedding light on the difficulties that fighters and their families face when trying to disengage from Al-Shabaab. In doing so, the Agency continues to support EU+ asylum authorities with critical contextual information on a poorly reported conflict. The COI reports will further inform the next Country Guidance note on Somalia.

As found by the EUAA, the Security Situation in Somalia remains volatile, violence is indiscriminate, and the humanitarian situation very serious, with almost three million of internally displaced persons. Famine, while averted for the time being, is considered a strong possibility next spring. The EUAA has recently reported that food insecurity is a principal push factor in many regions of origin that drive asylum needs in Europe.

While clan-based violence continues to be a serious concern across the country, the Al-Shabaab – anti-Al-Shabaab struggle remains the main conflict driver in Somalia, with most of the security incidents perpetrated by the armed group. In this context, the EUAA has explored existing avenues for members of the group to defect, desert or disengage. Formal (i.e., government-assisted) and informal options to exit the group and reintegrate society are, however, limited, and dangerous, including for relatives. Women and children related to former Al-Shabaab members often face stigma and integration challenges.

EU Asylum Situation for Somali nationals

Between July 2021 and December 2022, Somalis were the fourteenth largest group of applicants for international protection in the EU+. During this period, Somali monthly applications fluctuated between 1 200 and 1 700. Unsurprisingly, given Al-Shabaab's desire to recruit young fighters, self-claimed unaccompanied minors accounted for 13 % of all Somali applicants in this period. Since July 2021, EU+ countries issued approximately 23 300 decisions at first instance on Somali applications, with 57 % of the decisions granting refugee status and subsidiary protection.

Background

The reports were drafted in accordance with the EUAA COI Report Methodology by COI researchers from the EUAA COI Sector and from ACCORD. They were reviewed by ACCORD, Austria – BFA, Belgium – CEDOCA, Germany - BAMF, and Sweden - SMA. As always, the European Union Agency for Asylum thanks our partners in the EU+ for peer-reviewing this report.

The reports can be downloaded from the EUAA COI Portal.

  • Somalia

22 February 2023

EUAA-rebranded editions of COI Report Methodology and COI Guides published

​On 19 January 2022, and with the entry into force of Regulation (EU) 2021/2303, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) succeeded the European Asylum Support Office (EASO). The creation of the new EUAA prompted the need to re-brand the EASO COI Report Methodology (2019), the EASO COI Writing and Referencing Guide (2019), and the EUAA COI Research Guide on LGBTIQ (2021), in order to align them with the EUAA’s new visual identity. 

In these 2023 re-branded editions, references to ‘EASO’ have been changed to ‘EUAA’ where relevant, and introductory information relating to EUAA’s updated mandate to provide COI information has been added. Minor editorial changes were made; however, all core methodological content remains the same.

The EUAA COI Report Methodology and COI guides remain flagship documents for the production of COI at the EUAA and serve as a point of reference on COI excellence across the international community of practice. 

EUAA invites target users to update their references to the current 2023 rebranded edition of the methodology and guides.

10 January 2023

EUAA reports on the situation of Afghan refugees in Iran

​The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) has published a report on the situation of Afghan refugees in Iran, which covers key developments between October 2020 and November 2022. The report aims to provide information on the situation of registered and unregistered Afghan refugees there, and that is relevant for international protection status determination.

Split into five chapters, the Country of Origin Information (COI) report Iran - Situation of Afghan Refugees describes the presence of Afghan refugees in Iran, examines their legal status, their treatment by the Iranian society and the state, cross border movements and their socio-economic situation in the country.

As of October 2020, around 780 000 Afghan refugees holding Amayesh cards (proof of registration) were registered in the country. In addition, between 2020 and second half of 2022, an estimated number of between 2.1 and 2.6 million undocumented Afghans, including former Amayesh cardholders, were living in Iran.  

Following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, many Afghans fled to Iran due to the deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in their country. As of September 2022, the government of Iran recorded about one million new arrivals of Afghans, 65 % of whom were reportedly deported by the Iranian authorities back to Afghanistan, while smaller numbers returned voluntarily or travelled onwards to Türkiye and/or the European Union. 

EU Asylum Situation for Afghan nationals

Between October 2021 and September 2022, Afghans represented overall the largest group of applicants for international protection in the EU+, reaching approximately 13 700 in September. Since October 2021, EU+ countries have issued approximately 77 400 decisions at first instance on Afghan applications, with a recognition rate of 61 %.

At the end of September 2022, some 64 700 Afghan applications were pending at first instance. Around half were awaiting a decision for less than six months.  The latest asylum trends for applicants from Afghanistan, and other countries of origin, can be found on the EUAA website.

Background

The report was drafted by the Austrian Centre for Country of Origin & Asylum Research and Documentation (ACCORD) in conformity with the EUAA COI Report Methodology, and was reviewed by the EUAA together with Denmark and Greece.

Further information on EUAA Country of Origin Information activities, including on Iran, can be found on the EUAA website.

The report can be downloaded from the EUAA COI Portal.


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  • Iran

16 December 2022

EUAA reports on military service and political opposition in the Russian Federation

The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) has published two Country of Origin Information (COI) reports on military service and political opposition in Russia, which aim to assist national caseworkers in individually assessing applications for international protection lodged in EU+ countries by Russian nationals. The publications come as the EUAA has recorded an increased but not unprecedented number of asylum applications by Russian nationals in September 2022, likely due to the announced partial mobilisation. The COI reports further provide the factual basis upon which EUAA's country guidance on Russia will be issued in 2023.

The EUAA COI Report on Military Service focuses on the question of military service in the Russian Federation after Russia's invasion in Ukraine on 24 February 2022. It describes the structure of the Russian Armed Forces, obligatory military service, and conscription under the 'partial' mobilisation order of 21 September; as well as the possibilities to obtain exemptions and deferrals. In addition, the report covers Russia's use of mercenaries and prison convicts in the ongoing hostilities, military recruitment in Chechnya, and instances of violations of humanitarian and international human rights law committed by the Russian military in Ukraine.

The EUAA COI Report on Political opposition provides an overview of the political and legal context in the Russian Federation, including the latest legislation passed by the Russian government restricting freedoms of expression, assembly, and association. In this context, the report maps the treatment of political opponents, journalists, human rights defenders and activists, and other voices critical of Russia's invasion of Ukraine over the course of 2022. 

EU Asylum Situation for Russian nationals 

Prior to the invasion of Ukraine, Russians nationals lodged an average of 600 monthly applications for international protection in the EU+. Following the beginning of hostilities, applications in the EU+ fluctuated between 1 100 and 1 400 monthly in March-August 2022, eventually rising to 1 600 in September. During the first nine months of the year, around two in every 10 Russian applications were repeated in the same EU+ country. 

Since January 2022, EU+ countries have issued approximately 4 800 decisions at first instance on Russian applications, with 27 % of the decisions granting refugee status or subsidiary protection. Since the beginning of the year, the number of cases pending at first instance has increased to reach 11 100 cases at the end of September. 

Background  

The reports were drafted in accordance with the EUAA COI Report Methodology by COI researchers from the EUAA COI Sector. The report on Military service was co-drafted with COI experts from France - Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA) and Germany - Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). The report on Military service was peer-reviewed by Sweden - Swedish Migration Agency, Netherlands - OCILA, and Netherlands - MFA, and the report on Political dissent and opposition by Czechia – MoI Department for Asylum and Migration Policy and France - OFPRA.
The reports can be downloaded from the EUAA COI Portal:

  • Russian Federation