Last-minute Eu Deal on Asylum Reached

Britain and its EU partners last night agreed common rules for handling asylum seekers, narrowly meeting their deadline for a deal in time for the union's enlargement to 25 members tomorrow.

Months of negotiations ended when Germany dropped last-minute objections to proposals which the UN and rights groups warned would mean a lowering of standards of protection for refugees. "It was the missing element in finalising the common EU asylum programme," said the Irish justice minister, Michael McDowell, who chaired the meeting.

The deal establishes common procedures for granting and withdrawing refugee status, and agreeing lists of safe third countries to which rejected asylum seekers can be sent.

Practices in the UK will not be affected because of its opt-out from the Schengen passport-free zone.

British officials said they had secured significant concessions, though the Refugee Council accused the government of "driving standards down".

The idea is to end current differences in approach to eliminate so-called "asylum shopping", when asylum seekers pick the country offering them the most advantageous conditions. Politically, this is highly sensitive, with governments across the continent facing demands for curbs on illegal immigration and economic migrants who abuse refugee status.

The search for a common asylum policy dates back to the Tampere summit in 1999.

The UN high commissioner for refugees fears that, under the harmonisation changes, many asylum seekers may not be allowed to await the outcome of an appeal against a negative decision on their claim, and will be sent back before there is a definitive ruling.

The changes also allow member states to return asylum seekers to countries they had passed through on their way to Europe if the EU considers them safe and thus capable of providing the asylum sought.

The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (representing 76 refugee-assisting organisations in 30 countries) asserted: "Under the proposal, a border guard without knowledge of international refugee law or national asylum provisions could be given the sole power to decide on the removal of an asylum applicant to a country even before the competent authority has had the chance to look into the claim."

But Antonio Vitorino, the EU justice commissioner, said the agreement assured "a minimum level of protection and procedural safeguards in all member states for those who are genuinely in need of international protection".

It was also designed to prevent abuses that "undermine the credibility of the system".

Last month, ministers fixed minimum levels of social benefits, employment and healthcare for refugees.

Lady Ludford, the London MEP and Liberal Democrat justice spokeswoman, said: "The EU needs common asylum rules so that countries share responsibility while upholding international protection standards.

"But governments have not only stalled and delayed, they have also only reached agreement by going for the lowest common denominator.

"This is related to the Blair-Blunkett idea of shipping many asylum seekers off to places like Tanzania, Ukraine and Albania."