Shared rules on asylum

The EU has agreed on shared minimum standards for temporary protection, receiving asylum seekers and asylum procedures as well as agreeing on a shared definition of who is recognised as a refugee.

There are also rules to determine which country is responsible for an application for asylum (the Dublin Convention) and the Eurodac fingerprinting system. Denmark has reached a parallel agreement with the Union on the Danish affiliation with the Dublin Convention and the Eurodac fingerprinting system for international reasons, which means that Denmark can participate in important, practical cooperation.

Like the Danish government, the EU has focussed on the need to make a difference in refugees' home communities.

Two regional protection programmes are under development in the respective SNG countries (Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus) and the Great Lakes Region of Africa (Tanzania).

The programme aims at making a start on lasting solutions for refugees residing in those communities, by strengthening the capacity of the respective countries' systems of asylum.