European Refugee Fund (2008-13)

This decision establishes a European Refugee Fund of €614 million for the period 2008-13 as part of the general programme “Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows”.

ACT

Decision 573/2007/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 May 2007 establishing the European Refugee Fund for the period 2008 to 2013 as part of the General programme “Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows” and repealing Council Decision 2004/904/EC [See amending act(s)].

SUMMARY

This decision sets out the objectives of the European Refugee Fund (ERF) and the rules for its management. It also sets out the available financial resources and the criteria for their allocation.

Target groups

The fund is targeted at persons having refugee status as defined by the Geneva Convention of 28 July 1951 or enjoying a form of temporary or subsidiary protection, or who are being resettled in a European Union (EU) country. Persons who have applied for refugee status or for one of these forms of protection are also included.

Eligible actions

The ERF finances national and transnational actions, as well as actions that are of interest to the EU as a whole. National actions are implemented by EU countries within the framework of multiannual programming consistent with the EU’s strategic guidelines for the intervention of the fund (shared management). The budget allocated for EU level actions is implemented by the Commission (direct management).

The ERF supports national actions relating to:

• reception conditions and asylum procedures, especially infrastructure and the provision of material, medical and legal aid;
• the integration in the host country of persons in the target groups, especially measures relating to education, participation in civil and cultural life, access to the labour market, language training and assistance with housing;
• the enhancement of EU countries’ capacity to develop, monitor and evaluate their asylum policies, and the collection, compilation, analysis, use and dissemination of country-of-origin information and statistics on asylum, reception and integration procedures;
• resettlement, particularly the development of resettlement programmes and the provision of pre-departure information and material support;
• the transfer between EU countries of applicants in the target groups.

The ERF supports transnational and EU level actions relating to the:

• creation of cooperation networks between bodies located in two or more EU countries;
• setting up of awareness-raising campaigns;
• dissemination of good practice;
• launching of pilot projects on EU level cooperation;
• development of networks linking non-governmental organisations (NGOs) present in at least 10 EU countries and whose objective is to facilitate such exchanges.

The ERF also provides for a financial reserve for implementing emergency measures to provide temporary protection in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons within the meaning of Council Directive 2001/55/EC. This reserve can also be used to support EU countries’ efforts to address situations of particular pressure that result from the sudden arrival of large numbers of persons who may be in need of international protection and that place significant and urgent demands on their reception facilities or asylum systems.

Principles governing the fund’s actions

In line with the priorities and objectives laid down by the EU, the ERF will provide grants to support actions of a non-profit nature already co-financed by public or private sources.

Support from the ERF may not exceed 50% of the total cost of national actions. Exceptionally, this may be increased to 75% for projects addressing specific priorities identified in the strategic guidelines. The EU contribution is increased to 75% in the EU countries covered by the Cohesion Fund.

The Commission will adopt strategic guidelines for the period 2008-13, defining EU level priorities for each of the objectives of the fund.

The Commission will approve EU countries’ multiannual programmes setting out, on the basis of the Commission’s strategic guidelines, a strategy for and a description of the actions designed to achieve their objectives and additional indications regarding project financing. It will also adopt annual financing decisions approving each annual programme implementing the multiannual programme.

Committee, review and repeal

The Commission is assisted by the Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows Committee.

This decision repeals Decision 2004/904/EC establishing the ERF for the period 2005-10. It must be reviewed by the European Parliament and the Council by 30 June 2013.

Background

This decision furthers the actions implemented by the earlier decisions establishing the ERF. It repeals Decision 2004/904/EC so that the ERF financial planning period coincides with the current multiannual programming period. As part of the general programme “Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows”, established by the communication of 6 April 2005, it provides for resources totalling €614 million for this period.

RELATED ACTS

Commission Decision 2008/22/EC of 19 December 2007 laying down rules for the implementation of Decision 573/2007/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Refugee Fund for the period 2008 to 2013 as part of the General programme “Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows” as regards Member States’ management and control systems, the rules for administrative and financial management and the eligibility of expenditure on projects co-financed by the Fund [Official Journal L 7 of 10.1.2008].

Commission Decision 2007/815/EC of 29 November 2007 implementing Decision No 573/2007/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the adoption of the strategic guidelines 2008 to 2013 [Official Journal L 326 of 12.12.2007].

Last updated: 01.09.2010