Operational European solidarity in practice , Date: 2020.12.03, format: Report, area: Authority

The EASO Asylum Intervention Pool National Contact Point Meeting (NCP AIP Meeting) took place on 18-19 November 2020 at the Nuremberg headquarters of the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. The conference dealt with the optimisation of expert missions and how Member States can react even more flexibly and swiftly to EASO's staffing needs in the future.

Ein Mann und eine Frau stehen hinter einer Veranstaltungstheke und werden live gestreamt BAMF-Moderator Alexander Weinberger und Anja Huhl, Leiterin des zuständigen Referates EASO-Kontaktstelle, EASO-Einsatzplanung und Koordinierung Source: BAMF

80 participants from the Member States, the European Commission and the UNHCR conduct-ed an online discussion in four thematic workshops on the challenges in practical cooperation and worked out possible solutions.

Another question deliberated was: How to optimise the safety and hygiene precautions of the experts to be deployed, especially in times of COVID-19

Eine Frau steht hinter einer Veranstaltungstheke Anja Huhl, Leiterin des BAMF-Referates 91B (EASO Kontaktstelle, EASO-Einsatzplanung und Koordinierung) Source: BAMF

The workshops provided impulses for the stimulation of more commitment from the Member States and a more transparent and cooperative planning of EASO operations in the future. Overall, the NCP-AIP conference, despite its digital format, offered an active and goal-oriented exchange of information for all participants.

"Working in international teams enables us to exchange experience and expertise, to meet and learn from one another," Anja Huhl said, head of the department responsible at the Federal Office.

Within the framework of the EU Council Presidency, it was for the first time that the Federal Office supported EASO in organising the conference, which is normally held at EASO head-quarters in Malta. BAMF (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees) Vice President Andrea Schumacher said in her welcome address to the conference: "The operational support of EA-SO in Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Malta means European solidarity in practice".

Eine Frau steht hinter einer Veranstaltungstheke und moderiert BAMF-Vizepräsidentin Andrea Schumacher begrüßt die Teilnehmenden der Konferenz Source: BAMF

The meetings in the Maltese capital Valletta regularly bring together participants from the dif-ferent asylum services of EU countries to discuss how to further improve and shape the prac-tice of sending European asylum experts on EASO missions abroad. In addition, the event offers the opportunity for networking between EASO and the national contact points of the indi-vidual Member States.

European Asylum Support Office

The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) is a European Union agency established by Regulation (EU) No 439/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The Support Office performs essential tasks for the concrete implementation of the Common European Asy-lum System (CEAS). It was set up to promote practical cooperation on asylum issues and to support Member States in fulfilling their European and international obligations to protect vul-nerable people. EASO acts as a centre of competence on asylum issues and also supports Member States whose asylum and reception systems are under particular pressure.