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LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Fortress Europe - A discussion of EU border policy post 2015, in light of the 1951 Refugee Convention

Smith, Felicia LU (2021) JURM02 20212
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract (Swedish)
År 2021 infaller 70års jubiléet av 1951 års flyktingkonvention – en historisk
överenskommelse och garant för mänskliga rättigheter som ger människor
som riskerar att utsättas för förföljelse i sitt hemland rätten att söka skydd i
en annan stat. Genom flyktingkonventionen får flyktingar rätt till flertalet
rättigheter och alla personer som uppfyller flyktingdefinitionen har rätt att
söka skydd i någon av de 150 stater som anslutit sig till konventionen,
inkluderat EU:s medlemsländer. Detta är dock inte helt okontroversiellt i
praktiken, migration har inom EU blivit ett alltmer kontroversiellt och
debatterat ämne och flertalet regleringar är sedan 2015 inriktat på att
minimera antalet irreguljära migranter (inbegripet potentiella... (More)
År 2021 infaller 70års jubiléet av 1951 års flyktingkonvention – en historisk
överenskommelse och garant för mänskliga rättigheter som ger människor
som riskerar att utsättas för förföljelse i sitt hemland rätten att söka skydd i
en annan stat. Genom flyktingkonventionen får flyktingar rätt till flertalet
rättigheter och alla personer som uppfyller flyktingdefinitionen har rätt att
söka skydd i någon av de 150 stater som anslutit sig till konventionen,
inkluderat EU:s medlemsländer. Detta är dock inte helt okontroversiellt i
praktiken, migration har inom EU blivit ett alltmer kontroversiellt och
debatterat ämne och flertalet regleringar är sedan 2015 inriktat på att
minimera antalet irreguljära migranter (inbegripet potentiella skyddsökande
flyktingar). Denna uppsats syftar till att diskutera EU:s lagstiftning inom
asyl, migration och gränskontroll i ljuset av FN:s flyktingkonvention för att
analysera hur den första förhåller sig till skyldigheterna i konventionen.
Vidare undersöks hur EU:s och några medlemsländers gränskontroll och
system för asylmottagande ser ut i praktiken.

För att summera uppsatsens slutsatser konstateras det att EU:s lagstiftning
kring asyl, asylmottagande och gränskontroll är detaljerade och ofta lever
upp till internationella obligationer. På grund av att det finns statligt
tolkningsutrymme och möjlighet till undantag från dessa regler kan dock
stater avvika från standarden och det finns därför stora skillnader mellan
olika staters förhållningsätt. I praktiken sker det flertalet olika överträdelser
av bestämmelserna i flyktingkonventionen inom EU såsom ”pushbacks”.
Dessutom är många av EU:s och dess medlemsländers initiativ inriktade på
att förhindra att flyktingar når europeiskt territorium vilket pekar på att de
inte lever upp till en ”good faith” tolkning av flyktingkonvention – att
bereda rimlig och laglig möjlighet för flyktingar att faktiskt kunna söka asyl. (Less)
Abstract
The year of 2021 marks the 70th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee
Convention, under the Convention refugees are entitled to several basic
survival and dignity rights and any person that is a refugee in the eyes of
international law is entitled to claim the rights within the Convention in any
of the 150 state parties, including EU Member States. However, as the issue
of migration within the EU has become an even more contentious subject
since 2015, with domestic policies' increased focus on minimizing the
inflow of irregular migrants (including potential refugee seekers), seemingly
EU policies and the responsibilities deriving from the Refugee Convention
has become increasingly misaligned. This essay aims to discuss the
... (More)
The year of 2021 marks the 70th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee
Convention, under the Convention refugees are entitled to several basic
survival and dignity rights and any person that is a refugee in the eyes of
international law is entitled to claim the rights within the Convention in any
of the 150 state parties, including EU Member States. However, as the issue
of migration within the EU has become an even more contentious subject
since 2015, with domestic policies' increased focus on minimizing the
inflow of irregular migrants (including potential refugee seekers), seemingly
EU policies and the responsibilities deriving from the Refugee Convention
has become increasingly misaligned. This essay aims to discuss the
relationship between the EU legislation and state practice concerning
asylum and access to asylum procedures, and the border management in
light of the Refugee Convention to evaluate how the first complies with the
responsibilities in the second.
Firstly, the legislation on asylum and border management within the EU is
discussed in relation to the Convention. Secondly, some EU and Member
State practice on border management as well as the suggestions in the New
Pact on Asylum and Integration is reflected upon. To summarize the
findings of this essay, EU provisions often meet the standards of
international obligations but there is still a wide margin of appreciation as
well as exceptions. As a result, state practice differ and domestic policies
sometimes derogate from the common standards set. In effect several
practices that run contrary to the Refugee Convention happen within the
EU, such as summary pushbacks and detention of asylum seekers. Further,
that so many initiatives and practices are focused on preventing refugees
from reaching European jurisdiction indicates that they do not live up to the
responsibilities deriving from a good faith understanding of the Convention,
which entails real and accessible paths to seek asylum. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Smith, Felicia LU
supervisor
organization
course
JURM02 20212
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
keywords
EU law, public international law
language
English
id
9070133
date added to LUP
2022-01-30 12:39:15
date last changed
2022-01-30 12:39:15
@misc{9070133,
  abstract     = {{The year of 2021 marks the 70th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee 
Convention, under the Convention refugees are entitled to several basic 
survival and dignity rights and any person that is a refugee in the eyes of 
international law is entitled to claim the rights within the Convention in any 
of the 150 state parties, including EU Member States. However, as the issue 
of migration within the EU has become an even more contentious subject 
since 2015, with domestic policies' increased focus on minimizing the 
inflow of irregular migrants (including potential refugee seekers), seemingly 
EU policies and the responsibilities deriving from the Refugee Convention 
has become increasingly misaligned. This essay aims to discuss the 
relationship between the EU legislation and state practice concerning 
asylum and access to asylum procedures, and the border management in 
light of the Refugee Convention to evaluate how the first complies with the 
responsibilities in the second. 
Firstly, the legislation on asylum and border management within the EU is
discussed in relation to the Convention. Secondly, some EU and Member 
State practice on border management as well as the suggestions in the New 
Pact on Asylum and Integration is reflected upon. To summarize the 
findings of this essay, EU provisions often meet the standards of 
international obligations but there is still a wide margin of appreciation as 
well as exceptions. As a result, state practice differ and domestic policies 
sometimes derogate from the common standards set. In effect several
practices that run contrary to the Refugee Convention happen within the 
EU, such as summary pushbacks and detention of asylum seekers. Further, 
that so many initiatives and practices are focused on preventing refugees 
from reaching European jurisdiction indicates that they do not live up to the 
responsibilities deriving from a good faith understanding of the Convention, 
which entails real and accessible paths to seek asylum.}},
  author       = {{Smith, Felicia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Fortress Europe - A discussion of EU border policy post 2015, in light of the 1951 Refugee Convention}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}