4.7.1.5. Monitoring the quality of material reception conditions
The provision of material reception conditions has been scrutinised and investigated by both state and non-state actors throughout 2021. To help countries, the EUAA launched the Assessment of Reception Conditions (ARC) tool, which includes a self-assessment of material reception conditions in national centres. The indicators in the assessment are based on the Agency’s guidance on reception in generalEuropean Union Agency for Asylum. (September 2016). Guidance on reception conditions: standards and indicators. https://euaa.europa.eu/publications/guidance-reception-conditions-stand… and on the reception of unaccompanied minors.European Union Agency for Asylum. (December 2018). Guidance on reception conditions for unaccompanied children. https://euaa.europa.eu/publications/guidance-reception-conditions-unacc… Several Member States started testing the tool, including Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg and Spain.
At the beginning of 2022, the Austrian Court of Audit published the results of the special audit of federal reception facilities, covering the period 2013 to 2020. The report urges the federal government to plan more strategically for an eventual significant increase in the number of applicants in need of reception. The audit also recommends changes in financing and re-negotiation of rental contracts for the opening and closing of facilities.Austrian Court of Audit | Rechnungshof Österreich. (2022, January 28). Sonderprüfung: Asylbetreuungseinrichtungen des Bundes [Special audit: federal asylum accommodation and care facilities]. https://www.rechnungshof.gv.at/rh/home/news/news/aktuelles/Sonderpruefu…
The Ministry of the Interior in Italy and UNICEF signed an agreement for the monitoring of the quality of reception conditions for minors (see Section 5).Ministry of Interior | Ministero dell‘Interno. (2021, March 18). Sostegno a minori migranti e rifugiati in Italia, intesa tra ministero dell'Interno e Unicef [Support for migrant and refugee children in Italy, agreed between the Ministry of the Interior and UNICEF]. https://www.interno.gov.it/it/notizie/sostegno-minori-migranti-e-rifugi… The Irish International Protection Service (IPAS) published detailed inspection reports on Direct Provision Accommodation Centres and Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres for each county. The inspections include a review of services, a room-by-room inspection and follow-up communication between the inspector and the centre.Government of Ireland | Rialtas na hÉireann. (2021). Publications. https://www.gov.ie/en/publications/?q=&sort_by=published_date&organisat… As part of the reform of the reception system in the country, the Irish Refugee Council hoped that an independent monitoring mechanism would be established soon to monitor the implementation of the new standards.European Council on Refugees and Exiles. (2022). Input to the Asylum Report 2022. https://euaa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2022-03/European_Council_on_…
In Belgium, concerns were raised over the quality of material reception conditions offered in the centre in Jalhay, where a private operator took over the management of the facility from the Croix-Rouge at the end of 2020. Some of the issues highlighted were: a substantial decrease in the number of staff, lack of effective entry-exit control, decreased food allowance, gaps in the provision of health care and the management of medical files, unhealthy accommodation, and a decrease in the allowance for community service.Collective Free Migration | Collectif Migrations Libres. (2021, April 23). Centre d'accueil de Jalhay : quand les demandeur⸱ses d’asile paient le prix de la privatisation [Jalhay reception centre: when asylum seekers pay the price of privatization]. https://migrationslibres.be/svasta
Based on this report, Fedasil launched an investigation and put forward several action points to improve the situation, such as strengthening the presence of security personnel (24 hours, 7 days a week) and adjusting the amount of allowance for community service. The investigation found no grounds to suggest that accommodations were unhealthy or that there were gaps in the provision of health care and management of medical files.Federal agency for the reception of asylum seekers | L’Agence fédérale pour l’accueil des demandeurs d’asile | Federaal agentschap voor de opvang van asielzoekers. (2021, April 6). Des points d’amélioration pour l’accueil à Jalhay [Improvement points for the reception in Jalhay]. https://www.fedasil.be/fr/actualites/accueil-des-demandeurs-dasile/des-…
Civil society organisations continued to voice their concerns over reception conditions in Spanish facilities, especially the Temporary Reception Centres (CETI) in Ceuta and Melilla and the facilities on the Canary Islands. Accem pointed to the insufficient support for unaccompanied children in Ceuta,Accem. (2021, October 7). Ceuta: Todas las comunidades autónomas deben implicarse en la protección de la infancia migrante no acompañada [Ceuta: All autonomous communities must be involved in the protection of unaccompanied migrant children]. https://www.accem.es/ceuta-todas-las-comunidades-autonomas-deben-implic… while Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International. (2020, August 27). Es urgente el traslado y realojo en condiciones dignas de las personas migrantes y solicitantes de asilo en Melilla [The transfer and relocation in decent conditions of migrants and asylum seekers in Melilla is urgent]. https://www.es.amnesty.org/en-que-estamos/noticias/noticia/articulo/es-… and CEARSpanish Commission for Refugee Aid | Comisión Española de Ayuda al Refugiado. (2021, September 20). Comunicado sobre la situación de los solicitantes de asilo en Vélez de la Gomera [Statement on the situation of asylum seekers in Vélez de la Gomera]. https://www.cear.es/comunicado-sobre-la-situacion-de-los-solicitantes-d… reported on over-crowdedness, the poor hygienic situation and limited access to health care in Melilla.
The Spanish Ombudsperson published a report on the situation on the Canary Islands, and related to reception, he underlined that ad hoc emergency structures were not suitable to provide support. The structures also lacked trained staff.Spanish Ombudsman | Defensor Del Pueblo. (2021). Migration on the Canary Islands. https://www.defensordelpueblo.es/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/… These facilities were planned to be dismantled or turned into more permanent structures throughout 2021.European Union Agency for Asylum. (2022, January 13). Overview of the organisation of reception systems in EU+ countries. Situational Update No 8. https://euaa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/publications/2022-01/2021_si… Accem reported on escalating tensions which led to several hunger strikes throughout 2021.European Council on Refugees and Exiles. (2022). Input to the Asylum Report 2022. https://euaa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2022-03/European_Council_on_… The Ombudsperson also visited temporary surveillance and assistance centres in AlgecirasSpanish Ombudsman | Defensor Del Pueblo. (2021, February 17). Visita al Centro de Atención Temporal a Extranjeros de Algeciras (CATE) [Visit to the Temporary Assistance Center for Foreigners in Algeciras (CATE)]. https://www.defensordelpueblo.es/resoluciones/visita-al-centro-de-atenc… and MalagaSpanish Ombudsman | Defensor Del Pueblo. (2021, February 17). Visita al Centro de Atención Temporal a Extranjeros de Málaga (CATE) [Visit to the Temporary Attention Center for Foreigners in Malaga (CATE)]. https://www.defensordelpueblo.es/resoluciones/centro-de-atencion-tempor… and issued recommendations for improvements to the Ministry of the Interior.
In Poland, the mushroom poisoning of two Afghan children led to inspections from the Commissioner for Human Rights, concluding that the family had access to food and the children’s death was an accident. The AIDA report for Poland presents observations from the Polskie Forum Migracyjne that reception centres receive less per capita money for food than public kindergartens, childcare homes and hospitals. The organisation underlined that the quality and amount of food is adequate, but it might not be adapted to cultural differences and not sufficiently diversified.European Council on Refugees and Exiles. (2022). Input to the Asylum Report 2022. https://euaa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2022-03/European_Council_on_…
