Country Guidance is country-specific common analysis and guidance developed by the EUAA together with a network of senior-level policy officials from EU+ countries. The country guidance documents aim to assist decision-makers and policy-makers, and to foster convergence in the assessment of applications for international protection.
Countries
Country guidance is developed and regularly updated on main countries of origin. You can access each document by clicking on the links below.
The countries are selected together with Member States. Some of the key factors taken into account in the prioritisation are the number of applications received in Member States and associated countries and the need to foster further convergence in the assessment of international protection needs.
The country guidance documents represent the joint assessment of Member States of the situation in main countries of origin. They include in-depth common analysis and guidance on the assessment criteria established in the Qualification Directive (Directive 2011/95/EU), based on recent, objective, and reliable country of origin information. Each country guidance document includes the sections:
- Actors of persecution or serious harm
- Refugee status
- Subsidiary protection
- Actors of protection
- Internal protection alternative
- Exclusion
In accordance with Article 11 of the EUAA Regulation, Member States shall 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.
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.
Learn more about the methodology and the general guidance behind the EUAA country guidance below:
Country Guidance: Methodology
This methodology encompasses the development, review and update of country guidance. It was adopted by the EUAA Management Board during its 53rd meeting on 24 September 2024 and supersedes the ‘Country Guidance Methodology’ (1 November 2019) in regulating the work of the EUAA Country Guidance Network and all related processes.
Country Guidance: explained
The 'Country Guidance: explained' accompanies the EUAA country-specific guidance notes and common analysis on main countries of origin. Its content reflects 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.
The country guidance documents are developed by the EUAA together with a network of senior-level policy officials from Member States and associated countries, the Country Guidance Network.
This network was established in June 2016 in light of the Outcome of the 3461st Council meeting and continues its activities in accordance with Article 11 of the EUAA Regulation.