Committees

Evidence session on future UK-EU asylum cooperation

12 June 2019

The EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee takes evidence from the Refugee Council, British Red Cross, Safe Passage UK and Lord Dubs.

Background

This is the first evidence session of the Sub-Committee's inquiry into future UK-EU asylum cooperation after Brexit. The inquiry will look at the UK's current relationship with the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) and consider what type of agreement the UK should seek with the EU on asylum cooperation after Brexit. In this session, the committee will examine the potential UK-EU relationship with regard to the Dublin system which determines responsibility for asylum applications, standards of protection and assistance for refugees, family reunification, and support for unaccompanied refugee children.

Witnesses

Wednesday 12 June 2019, Committee Room 3, Palace of Westminster

At 10.40am

  • Judith Dennis, Policy Manager, Refugee Council
  • Jon Featonby, Policy and Advocacy Manager, British Red Cross

At 11.30am

  • Lord Dubs
  • Eleanor Harrison OBE, Chief Executive, Safe Passage

Possible questions

Topics likely to be covered across both sessions include:

  • UK refugee policy, in particular, UK policy on family reunification and the relocation of unaccompanied refugee children under the 'Dubs amendment' and other resettlement schemes;
  • How important EU asylum policy is for protecting the rights of refugees/asylum seekers in the UK compared to other international legal instruments, such as the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Refugee Convention;
  • What elements of the CEAS, or EU asylum policy and standards, witnesses would like to see reflected in the UK in the future;
  • Trends on attitudes to migration in Europe that could impact any future UK-EU cooperation on asylum;
  • The impact Brexit could have on UK-France border cooperation and managing migratory flows in Calais.

Further information

Image: Parliamentary copyright