BerlinImplementing the EU’s Reception Conditions Directive: identifying those in need
What is inspiring?
Berlin is an exceptional case in Germany for having implemented the EU’s Reception Conditions Directive systematically across the board. In its Reception Conditions Directive, the European Union states that some groups of people require special protection. Among other things, it obliges EU member states to take into account the specific needs of these people in the asylum process. Although the Directive was supposed to have been implemented into EU member state national laws by 2015, Berlin is the only German federal state to have done so comprehensively.
Contact
E-Mail: n.buettner@ueberleben.org
What does the EU Reception Directive state?
The Berlin Network for Particularly Vulnerable Refugees (BNS) was founded in 2008 to fulfil EU Reception Directive requirements. BNS coordination is managed by the ÜBERLEBEN Centre, which also treats victims of torture. The network consists of seven Berlin-based non-governmental organisations. In cooperation with the then Senate Department for Health and Social Affairs (SenGesSoz), the network developed a three-stage procedure for identifying and caring for particularly vulnerable refugees in Berlin. The BNS drafted an extensive 93-page set of guidelines, which the Berlin Senate later published, outlining the best practices for identifying people in need of special protection. Their cases are then processed more quickly at the immigration office with specifically trained auditors on hand to hear their case.
How has the Directive been implemented in Berlin?
The Berlin Network for Particularly Vulnerable Refugees (BNS) was founded in 2008 to fulfil EU Reception Directive requirements. BNS coordination is managed by the ÜBERLEBEN Centre, which also treats victims of torture. The network consists of seven Berlin-based non-governmental organisations. In cooperation with the then Senate Department for Health and Social Affairs (SenGesSoz), the network developed a three-stage procedure for identifying and caring for particularly vulnerable refugees in Berlin. The BNS drafted an extensive 93-page set of guidelines, which the Berlin Senate later published, outlining the best practices for identifying people in need of special protection. Their cases are then processed more quickly at the immigration office with specifically trained auditors on hand to hear their case.
What’s the outcome?
Employees at the “immigration office” are given relevant background information on each vulnerable group, which can help them to process better any information they acquire during an interview. In addition, there are specific indicators for almost every group that can help to identify a refugee as being in need of special protection. For example, staff are advised to “proactively and convincingly convey to the asylum seekers that they will not face any danger or repression from the state if they disclose their gender identity and/or sexual orientation or that of their partner”. This procedure is unique in Germany. Moreover, the BNS, in cooperation with the Berlin Counselling Network for Immigrants, has developed a mapping of the Berlin care network, which shows the relevant actors and the existing services for refugees in particular need of protection. As an additional measure, the city has set up a specialised unit to support refugees with mental health issues and prevent mental illnesses from becoming chronic.