Greece Country Report Update 2019.pdf

Prepared by members of the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR) Legal Unit and edited by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), it highlights key developments and challenges in Greece's asylum process.

Key Findings:

Legislative Amendments: The report includes updates from L. 4636/2019, which entered into force on January 1, 2020, but excludes changes introduced by L. 4686/2020 in May 2020.
Asylum Procedure: Greece operates a multi-stage asylum procedure, including regular, Dublin, admissibility, border, fast-track (Eastern Aegean islands), and accelerated procedures.
Vulnerable Groups: Special guarantees are provided for unaccompanied children, individuals with medical needs, and others at risk.
Reception Conditions: Access to reception facilities is regulated, with criteria and restrictions based on individual needs and country of origin. The report addresses concerns regarding the quality and accessibility of these facilities.
Challenges: The report highlights ongoing challenges, including:
High backlogs in processing applications.
Lengthy detention periods for asylum seekers.
Reports of pushbacks and violations of international law at the border.
Differential treatment based on nationality.

Methodology:

The report draws on diverse sources, including:

Information from Greek authorities (Asylum Service, Appeals Authority, Hellenic Police, Ministry of Migration and Asylum).
National and international jurisprudence.
Reports from human rights bodies and organizations.
Publicly available data and media information.
GCR's practical observations.

## Table of Contents (Excerpt)

Glossary
List of Abbreviations
Statistics
Overview of the Legal Framework
Asylum Procedure:
General Overview
Access to the Procedure
Regular Procedure, Dublin, Admissibility, Border, Fast-Track, Accelerated Procedures
Guarantees for Vulnerable Groups
Subsequent Applications
Safe Country Concepts
Reception Conditions
* Differential Treatment of Specific Nationalities