INTRODUCTION
Last updated: November 2024
The country guidance documents provide country-specific common analysis and guidance in relation to the assessment criteria established in the recast Qualification Directive (QD)1 and in the newly adopted Qualification Regulation (QR)2, which will repeal the QD with its entry into application on 1 July 2026. They are developed by the EUAA together with a network of senior-level policy officials from EU+ countries and represent their joint assessment of the situation in main countries of origin, in accordance with current EU legislation and jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
The aim of the country guidance documents is to assist decision-makers and policy-makers in their daily work and to foster convergence in the assessment of applications for international protection and the type of protection granted in the context of the Common European Asylum System.
The development, review and update of country guidance is regulated under Article 11 of the EUAA Regulation.
In accordance with Article 11(3) EUAA Regulation, Member States have the obligation to take into account the common analysis and guidance notes when examining applications for international protection, without prejudice to their competence to decide on individual applications.
This common analysis is based on country of origin information (COI) covering the period January 2022 – March 2024 regarding the targeting of selected profiles and February 2023 – March 2024 regarding the security situation in Iraq and the key socio-economic indicators for Baghdad and Sulaymaniyah. Some additional information on major political, security, human rights, socio-economic developments covering April – July 2024 has also been reflected. Each section of the country guidance documents also clearly states the timing of its last update.
The analysis and guidance in this document should be considered valid as long as current events and developments in the country fall within the trends and patterns described within the COI on which the assessment at hand is based on.
The analysis and guidance provided in this document are not exhaustive.
Common analysis, guidance note and methodological approach
The country guidance document consists of two components: the guidance note and the common analysis. These two parts focus on the situation in the country of origin and provide analysis and guidance on the assessment of relevant international protection needs.
They should be read in conjunction with the separate document ‘Country Guidance: explained’3.
This document outlines the general guidance relied upon in this analysis, as well as the methodological framework, approach and indicators used to assess the different elements of qualification for international protection.
Scope of this update
The current version of the guidance updates and supersedes the ‘Country Guidance: Iraq’ (June 2022). This update focuses mainly on the potential protection needs of specific profiles, e.g. persons perceived to be affiliated with ISIL, journalists and media workers, religious and ethnic minorities, women and girls, children, the section on Article 15(c) QD/QR under the subsidiary protection chapter, as well as the internal protection alternative chapter.
A new approach regarding the incorporation of COI in the legal analysis has been adopted in this document and the majority of sections have been restructured to reflect this approach. This should not be construed as validation of the COI and assessment included in all sections. Please refer to the indication ‘Last update: …’ found at the beginning of each section in order to identify when the analysis and guidance were last reviewed and updated.
This update is based on the following recent COI:
EUAA COI Report: Iraq - Country Focus (May 2024)
EUAA COI Report: Iraq - Security Situation (May 2024)
EUAA COI Report: Iraq – Arab tribes and customary law (April 2023)
EUAA COI Query Response: Iraq - Major political, security, human rights, socio-economic developments (August 2024)
Annex II. Country of origin information references provides further details on all COI reports used as a basis for the analysis within this document. References and links within this document are to the respective sections of these COI reports.
- 1
Directive 2011/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on standards for the qualification of third-country nationals or stateless persons as beneficiaries of international protection, for a uniform status for refugees or for persons eligible for subsidiary protection, and for the content of the protection granted (recast).
- 2
Regulation (EU) 2024/1347 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on standards for the qualification of third-country nationals or stateless persons as beneficiaries of international protection, for a uniform status for refugees or for persons eligible for subsidiary protection and for the content of the protection granted, amending Council Directive 2003/109/EC and repealing Directive 2011/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council.
- 3
At the time of writing, the adoption of a new approach regarding the incorporation of COI in the legal analysis has not yet been reflected in the ‘Country Guidance: explained’ (January 2023).