Background
EASO’s support to Cyprus dates back to June 2014, with the establishment of a Special Support Plan. The Plan allowed EASO to support in a number of areas such as training of staff, support to managing vulnerable groups, advice on age assessment procedures, enhancing the reception conditions, as well as concerning data collection and analytical capacities (i.e. statistics and information technology). Since then, Cyprus continued to request EASO’s support to face the growing pressure on its asylum system.
The Operating Plan 2021, signed on 17 December 2020, thus follows eight years of continuous cooperation between EASO and the Republic of Cyprus.
The 2021 Operating Plan focuses on supporting and enhancing national capacities in the areas of registration of applications for international protection and access to asylum procedure, reception, backlog reduction for first instance and second instance asylum cases.
The Pournara First Reception Centre continues to be one of the main beneficiaries of EASO support, namely the so-called ‘Safe Zone’, the Examination Centre for interviews and the Registration area. Activities supported by EASO include enhancing the system’s efficiency and effectiveness through digitalization and remote working modalities, strengthening the attention on best practices especially in relation to vulnerability and quality, and contributing to the creation and implementation of a national reception model and strategy. The Agency provides technical support and capacity building activities, along with increased operational support, to reduce existing backlog of first and second instance asylum cases, in order to reduce the pressure that the Cypriot asylum system has been experiencing in the last years.
The 2022-2024 Operational Plan, the first of the multi-annual plans to be signed in Cyprus, signed on December 13, 2021 between EASO, the Minister of the Interior and the Chief Registrar of the Republic of Cyprus. The plan aims to continue contributing to the enhanced implementation of the EU Asylum Acquis and EU reception standards for persons in need of protection in Cyprus.
The 2022 Operational plan provides support to Cypriot authorities in line with the assistance previously provided in 2021, under 3 measures: Support to Asylum (registration, first instance and determination at appeal), Support to Reception and Cross Cutting Support (applicants with special needs, quality, capacity building digitalization and transfer procedures).
Regarding Support to Asylum, the EUAA aims at strengthening the capacity of the Aliens and Immigration Unit of the Police (AIU) and the Cyprus Asylum Service (CAS) to respond to registrations and arrivals primarily at the First Reception Centre ‘Pournara’. The Agency will also continue assisting CAS with processing applications at first instance and enhancing the capacity of the International Protection Administrative Court (IPAC) to manage and reduce the backlog at second instance.
Concerning Support to Reception, the EUAA will continue to implement activities in the Kofinou Reception Centre (i.e. social work, reception support, info provision). Following the development of the integrated national reception strategy in 2021, the EUAA will supports its operationalization and implementation.
Lastly, the 2022-2024 Operational Plan outlines Cross Cutting Support which the EUAA will be providing to the relevant authorities, to inform practices across asylum and reception. The support provided focuses on streamlining procedures, developing tools and providing the resources for support to applicants with special needs, quality assurance mechanisms, capacity building, digitalization and relocation exercises.
Throughout the implementation of the Plan, the Agency in Cyprus also plans to begin engaging with, and supporting additional stakeholders, including: the Civil Registry and Migration Department (CRMD), Ministry of Health (MoH) and Social Welfare Services (SWS).
On 24 February 2022, the Russian invasion of Ukraine led to a nationwide humanitarian emergency. The resulting influx of refugees to the European Union led to Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022, where Art.3 par.2 stipulates that the EUAA should provide operational support to Member States that have requested assistance to help them cope with the situation, including for the purposes of applying the aforementioned Decision. In Cyprus, the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022 was activated by Ministerial Decision on the 22nd of March 2022, and the article 20 of the Cyprus Refugee Laws which incorporates the Temporary Protection Directive 2001/55/EC.
Against this backdrop on the 13th of April 2022 the Cypriot authorities requested support from the EUAA for the implementation of the Temporary Protection Directive in Cyprus. Following this, the EUAA Executive Director on the 6th of May responded to the request confirming EUAA capacity to support with the allocation of new resources as needed.
Between 14 March and 10 July 2022, a total of 14,215 Ukrainian nationals have registered for temporary protection: 5,103 applications have been lodged online, 874 in offices in Nicosia, 1,763 in Larnaca, 654 in Famagusta, 3,824 in Limassol and 1,997 in Paphos.
We support the authorities to manage the implementation of TPD and EUAA Registration support team is involved in the delivery of information provision, TP registration and assessment of the eligibility criteria. In May EUAA shipped EUAA leaflets on TP for adults and Unaccompanied and separated children, in EN and UKR, tailored to the CY specificities.
Stakeholders
| Main National Partners | |
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| Asylum Service, Ministry of the Interior |
The Asylum Service is responsible for the first instance determination of asylum applications, including the examination of the Dublin III Regulation criteria. In case an application is rejected by the Asylum Service (even if subsidiary protection is granted), the applicant has the right to lodge an appeal against this decision, before the International Protection Administrative Court (IPAC), which must examine both points of law and substance. The decisions are based on the Refugee Law 2000 (6(I)/2000) and its subsequent amendments. The Asylum Service is also responsible, by the Refugee Law, for the operation of reception and accommodation centres for asylum seekers, as well as for coordinating all other competent authorities on asylum issues. |
| Aliens and Immigration Service to the Police, Ministry of the Interior | The Aliens and Immigration Service to the Police (AISP) is primarily responsible for receiving and registering applications for international protection on behalf of the Asylum Service (including fingerprinting for EURODAC and Dublin purposes). The AISP is also responsible for implementing detention and deportation orders issued by the Director of the Civil Registry and Migration Department. |
| Civil Registry and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior | Civil Registry and Migration Department is the result of the consolidation of the Migration, Registration and Election Services, which were part of the Ministry of Interior and it is competent for civil registry and migration related matters, such as issuance of residence permits to third country nationals who are holders of an international protection status, handling applications for family reunification and issuing of entry and residence permits. |
| Social Welfare Services, Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance | The Social Welfare Services (SWS) carry the responsibility for the provision of social welfare services to applicants and beneficiaries of international protection. Where the applicant is an unaccompanied minor, the Director of the SWS acts as the guardian of the minor during the asylum procedure and takes all measures necessary under the Refugee Laws and the Regulations under it on the minor’s behalf and on his best interest including in respect of the asylum procedure. |
| Ministry of Health |
According to the Refugee Law, applicants for international protection are entitled to any pharmaceutical treatment free of charge at public hospitals and health centres, when the applicant does not have sufficient funds. Obligatory medical screening examinations are also taking place at public hospitals upon the submission of the application for international protection. |
| General Secretariat for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (GSRAS) | As established under Presidential Decree 18, Official Gaz. A'34/19.02.2020 on Renaming and Establishment of General and Special Secretariats at the Ministry of Migration. |
| International Protection Administrative Court | The International Protection Administrative Court (IPAC) began operating as of 18 June 2019, and appeals were submitted before the court as of July 2019. IPAC is competent for examining appeals relating to provisions of the Refugee Law. Appeals have a suspensive effect, and both facts and points of law are examined. With a constitutional amendment, in September 2020 the time limit to appeal before the International Protection Administrative Court was reduced from 75 to 15 days. |
| Supreme Court | The Supreme Court of Cyprus is the highest court of the Republic. All appeal decisions taken by IPAC can be further appealed before the Supreme Court. At this level, they will not have a suspensive effect and only points of law are examined. |
| Main International Partners | |
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The European Commission is the executive branch of the European Union, it develops and translates into policies and initiatives the EU strategy. The European Commission is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the EU treaties and managing the day-to-day business of the EU. It was established in 1958 and its headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium. |
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UNHCR the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is the UN Refugee Agency, dedicated to aid and protect the rights of refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people and to assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to a third country. It was founded in 1950 in response to the refugee crisis following World War II, and currently operates in 135 countries. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. In recognition of its work, UNHCR has won two Nobel Peace prizes, in 1954 and 1981. |
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IOM the International Organization for Migration is the principal intergovernmental organization dealing with migration issues. IOM's stated mission is to promote humane and orderly migration by providing services and advice to governments and migrants, including internally displaced persons, refugees, and migrant workers. It was initially established in 1951 as the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM) to help resettle people displaced by World War II. It is based in Geneva, Switzerland and received its current name in 1989. In September 2016, IOM became a related organization of the United Nations. As of March 2019, the International Organization for Migration has 173 member states and eight observer states. It is the only global migration agency dealing with all aspects of migration. |
Statistic of deployments
2019
About 85 Personnel
About 8 Locations
2023
About 220 Personnel
About 6 Locations
2020
About 120 Personnel
About 7 Locations
2021
About 165 Personnel
About 6 Locations
2022
About 260 Personnel
About 6 Locations
Number of deployed personnel: Consists of the total number of different persons deployed by EUAA over the reporting period, regardless of the duration of their deployment. All deployment figures do not include deployed interpreters by EUAA in support of asylum, reception or temporary protection activities.
Number of locations: Consists of the total number of locations where EUAA personnel has been present over the reporting period, regardless of the duration of the support.