EASO publishes first country guidance

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The ‘Country Guidance: Afghanistan’ is the result of a pilot development, aimed at fostering convergence in Member States’ decision practices.

In its 28th meeting of 6-7 June 2018, the EASO Management Board endorsed the first country guidance note. This guidance note is the result of a pilot process, in which EASO coordinated the efforts of senior-level policy officials from Member States in producing a joint assessment of the situation in Afghanistan. The pilot process was launched in accordance with the Outcome of the 3461st Council meeting of 21 April 2016, and is a step in the preparation for the enhanced mandate envisaged for the Agency under the proposed Regulation on the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA).

The country guidance is based on common up-to-date country of origin information (COI), produced in accordance with the EASO COI methodology. This information is analysed in accordance with EU legislation on qualification for international protection (Directive 2011/95/EU), the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union and, where appropriate, of the European Court of Human Rights. It also takes into account general EASO guidance on the examination of applications for international protection (EASO practical tools) and takes note of the relevant UNHCR Eligibility Guidelines.

It is a non-binding document, which aims at assisting decision-makers from the national asylum authorities in examining the applications from the particular country of origin and, ultimately, at fostering convergence in the decision practices of Member States.

For further information on EASO’s work on country guidance and to access the ‘Country Guidance: Afghanistan’, see https://www.easo.europa.eu/country-guidance