The Realities of Separated Refugee Families in the EU

The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) and the Red Cross EU Office, along with several national organisations, have released a report, « Disrupted Flight – The Realities of Separated Refugee Families in the EU », on practices in 12 EU Member States in relation to family reunification. According to this report, asylum procedures in the EU lead to further isolation and separation of families due to the length and costs of such procedures, including strict requirements on proving family ties, and high administrative requirements, in particular for the family members, who are often in more precarious situations than the sponsor. In order for the right to family reunification to be effective, ECRE and the Red Cross EU office recommend that family reunification procedures should be applied more flexibly, taking into account the realities of forced migrants. Access to procedures is also key to make the right to family life a reality. In that regard, ECRE and the Red Cross EU recommend further reflection so as to ensure effective access to embassies and consulates abroad, without unnecessary obstacles such as disproportionate documentary evidence or unjustified presence requirements.