News
News Published: 23 June 2025
New EUAA Country Guidance on Syria and Sudan
The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) has just published two Country Guidance documents on international protection matters arising from the situation in Syria and Sudan, respectively. Recently endorsed by the Management Board of the EUAA, these documents are meant to assist national asylum authorities in assessing applications for international protection lodged by Syrian and Sudanese nationals in EU+ countries, thereby fostering convergence of asylum decisions at the European level.
The interim Country Guidance on Syria takes stock of the significant changes on international protection needs caused by the fall of the Assad government in December 2024. While the persons previously persecuted solely by the Assad regime are generally considered no longer at risk, individuals targeted by other armed actors are still exposed, and new groups may be in need of international protection.
Developed by a network of senior policy officials from EU+ countries under the auspices of the EUAA, this interim document provides critical guidance at a time when many EU Member States are resuming examination of asylum applications from Syrian nationals. It will be complemented by a fuller update intended to be published at the end of 2025.
The Country Guidance on Sudan is the first of its kind published on the situation in this country, often referred to as one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world today. Since the civil war broke out in Khartoum in April 2023, attacks on civilians, forced displacements and widespread human rights violations have continued unabated and spread across the country.
In this context, the publication identifies a range of profiles likely to qualify for refugee status and provides an assessment of the level of indiscriminate violence across the country, for subsidiary protection assessment purposes. Also drafted by senior policy officials from EU+ countries, this document aims to assist national asylum authorities in navigating through the complexities of the situation in Sudan, the seventh country covered by EUAA Country Guidance publications.
Background
The EUAA Country Guidance documents provide country-specific, common analysis and guidance in relation to the assessment criteria of international protection needs established in the Qualification Directive and in the newly adopted Qualification Regulation. In accordance with Article 11 of the EUAA Regulation, Member States have the obligation to take into account the guidance notes and common analysis when examining applications for international protection, without prejudice to their competence for deciding on individual applications.