This report has been prepared by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) in response to concerns about the situation of Chechens in need of protection in Europe. It updates our earlier Guidelines on the Treatment of Chechen Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Europe.

In 2008 . 2010 European countries increasingly advocated returning refugees of Chechen origin to the Russian Federation. States have been saying there is an internal protection alternative for

1. Introduction

With the publication of its Communication 'An area of freedom, security and justice serving the citizen', the Commission has presented its views on the EU's priorities in the field of justice and home affairs, including in the field of asylum, for the next five years. The Communication will be used as the basis for discussions between the various stakeholders at EU level that should result in the adoption in December 2009 by the Heads of State and Government of the so-called Stockholm

ECRE is very concerned about any proposal which would allow EU States to evade their obligations to protect refugees by shifting the responsibility to countries with extremely dubious human rights records. "Refugees are the first victims of the 'fight against immigration' that our governments are undertaking. While Europe is putting

Against this backdrop, the European Commission will table several initiatives to address migration management in the Mediterranean, including guidelines to establish the responsibility of States participating in joint border patrol operations under the EU agency Frontex, the relocation