Syria: Protection of Refugees - latest developments (Presidency note)

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COUNCIL OF Brussels, 31 May 2013

THE EUROPEAN UNION

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NOTE

from: Presidency

to: Permanent Representatives Committee / Council (Justice and Home Affairs)

Subject: Syria: Protection of Refugees - latest developments

Since March 2011 the crisis in Syria has developed into an increasingly tragic situation marked by

unprecedented use of force by the regime, indiscriminate violence, inadequate protection of

civilians, dire humanitarian conditions in parts of the country and spill-over effects in neighbouring

countries.

Latest information from Office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (24 May

2013) shows that there are over 1.5 million Syrians registered (1,337,000) or awaiting registration

(223,000) as refugees in neighbouring countries and North Africa. The UNHCR reports that 76% of

these refugees are women and children. The population of persons of concern (registered and

awaiting registration) in each country is as follows:

Jordan 486,000

Lebanon 488,000

Turkey 350,000

Iraq 151,000

Egypt 71,000

North Africa 11,000

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Previously it has been estimated that 1.2 million people are also displaced within Syria and that as

many as 3 million Syrians are affected by the conflict. Syria is also the location of 100,000 Iraqi

refugees registered with UNHCR and 500,000 registered Palestinian refugees.

UNHCR and other UN agencies and organisations launched the Syria Regional Response Plan in

March 2012. This plan has subsequently been revised, most recently in December 2012, and US$1

billion is being requested based on estimates of up to 1 million Syrian refugees needing help during

the first half of 2013. The refugee population estimate has already been exceeded and UNHCR

reports that 73% of the funding requirement has been received.

According to Eurostat figures, in the period from April 2011 to March 2013, approximately 37,600

Syrian nationals have applied for asylum in the EU and 24,250 of these applications have been

lodged in Germany and Sweden. At a meeting of the Strategic Committee on Immigration, Frontiers

and Asylum (SCIFA) on 23 May 2013 the European Asylum Support Office reported that while the

recent monthly trend in the number of applications is declining the number of pending cases in the

Member States remains stable overall. Frontex believes that Germany and Sweden will continue to

be the main countries of destination within the Union for persons seeking to leave Syria.

The European Commission has noted that the EU as a whole is one of the leading international

humanitarian response actors in the crisis. Member States and the Commission have mobilised

humanitarian funding of approximately €800 million. These funds are allocated for use both within

Syria and to assist those fleeing the violence.

The Commission has further indicated that the continuation of humanitarian assistance in 2013 will

be accompanied by mid-term actions aimed at building a bridge between humanitarian aid on the

one hand, and development assistance to the countries and communities in the region affected by

the current refugee flow, on the other hand. In the medium to longer-term (2013-2016) the

Commission, in close liaison with the relevant international partners, is preparing a comprehensive

programme on refugees and development in the Middle East. This is in line with the EU Global

Approach to Migration and Mobility. A Regional Protection Programme (RPP) would be an integral

and prominent part of this programme.

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The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Mr Antonio Guterres attended the Informal

Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial meeting in Dublin on 17 January 2013 where he provided

information and analysis to Ministers on the unfolding situation. He pointed to the need for Europe

to consider a contingency plan in the event that there was a chaotic end to the conflict in Syria and

EU Member States experienced a massive influx of Syrian refugees as a result. He also asked that

Member States grant protection to those in need, and that no asylum seeker who has been refused

protection be sent back to Syria while the conflict is ongoing. The High Commissioner remarked

that while it is premature to look at a large resettlement programme for Syrians, UNHCR has called

for resettlement in a number of targeted cases and separately UNHCR has sought resettlement

places for refugees from other countries out of the region, including many who have been staying in

Syria. In this connection, it is noted that Germany has recently announced that 5,000 especially

vulnerable Syrian refugees will be taken into Germany before the end of this year and that Germany

also wishes to encourage other Member States to join in that effort.

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مذكرة من الرئاسة الدورية لمجلس الاتحاد الأوروبي حول حماية اللاجئين السوريين وآخر التطورات، تستعرض تفاقم الأزمة وأعداد اللاجئين وطالبي اللجوء في دول الاتحاد.