The EU as a Global Player in the Refugee Protection Regime

This report seeks to understand the extent to which Europe may be seen as a global player in the international refugee protection regime and whether, to date, its role has been largely positive or negative. Recognizing that less than 1.8 percent of the people of concern to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) globally are asylum seekers in Europe, the report questions whether Europe’s historic focus on asylum within its borders has been overstated and to what extent it should be more concerned with refugee protection in regions of origin.

Through a broad overview of key policy and legislation dating back to the early 1990s, this report finds that despite persistent efforts to coordinate an EU-level approach to asylum and refugee protection, the process has been severely stifled by the lack of a philosophical consensus between Member States as to what constitutes refugee protection in Europe and globally.

It highlights the evolution of EU discussions from a central focus on asylum towards measures that place greater emphasis on protection in regions of origin and finds that recent proposals such as safe third countries and those put forth by the UK government have been met by conflicting responses among EU Member States.

The report recommends that rather than continue to conflate the issues of asylum, resettlement, and protection in regions of origin, the European Union should prioritize the development of a common asylum system that is distinct from both its resettlement and capacity building efforts.