Structural differences and access to country information (COI) at European courts dealing with asylum
Country information (COI) is widely considered as determinant evidence in most asylum cases, but national courts’ practices relating to the access to COI and its judicial interpretation are also divergent.
A significant part of asylum claims in the EU are decided upon in judicial review procedures and a large number of protection statuses are granted by courts every year. Yet, common EU regulation on asylum hardly puts forward any specific rule regarding this stage of the asylum proceedings, and relevant procedural frameworks are largely divergent in different member states. Country information (COI) is widely considered as determinant evidence in most asylum cases, but national courts’ practices relating to the access to COI and its judicial interpretation are also divergent. The present study – as a pioneering initiative – summarises the main findings of a mapping exercise focusing on these two issues and covering all EU member states and Switzerland.
Downloadable here in English, French and German.
The study was realised in the framework of the “COI in Judicial Practice” project, co-funded by the European Commission.