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The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) has today published its work programme for 2014. The work programme outlines the plans for EASO’s activities and provides the basis for budgetary planning for 2014. In 2013 new EU rules on asylum (the so called ‘asylum package’) have been agreed, setting out common high standards and stronger co-operation to ensure that asylum seekers are treated equally in an efficient and fair system across the EU. In this context, EASO’s main priority for 2014 is supporting Member States’ implementation of the recast asylum package through training, practical cooperation activities, common Country of Origin Information (COI) and quality reports. In addition, EASO will develop further its Early warning and Preparedness System and will provide operational support, in particular to Greece and to Italy.

In 2014, EASO will devote its efforts to supporting EU Member States and the European Commission in the coherent implementation of the revised EU asylum acquis, which was adopted in June 2013. EASO will play a key role in supporting Member States in this process through a vast array of tools that are being developed to fulfil this purpose.

EASO will consolidate and strengthen its permanent support structures. In this sense, EASO will continue to train EU Member States officials, updating its training modules and learning materials to reflect the developments of the recast EU asylum acquis as well as new case law and jurisprudence. New training modules will be also developed to address the demands and the needs of asylum officials. EASO will also continue its Quality activities, providing expertise on quality procedures and quality methodology. EASO will establish an information and documentation system offering a single point of information on Member States’ asylum systems and organisations, as well as on national and European factual, legal and case-law developments. EASO will continue providing COI by developing the COI-portal and the COI-networks, by producing COI materials and by organising COI practical cooperation activities.

EASO will further develop its special support measures in the form of targeted actions to Member States with specific needs related to the implementation of the recast EU asylum acquis (e.g. tailor-made assistance, capacity building, relocation, specific support and special quality control process). Throughout 2014, EASO will continue providing special support to Italy in line with the EASO Special Support Plan for that Member State.

Within the framework of the implementation of the recast EU asylum acquis and on the basis of the request of a Member State, EASO will provide emergency support to Member States subject to particular pressure by establishing an Operating Plan to deploy Asylum Support Teams or to provide other support as required. In this context, EASO is ready to continue its activities in Greece to European Asylum Support Office, MTC Block A, Winemakers Wharf, Grand Harbour Valletta, MRS 1917, Malta 2/2 Tel: +356 22487500, website: www.easo .europa.eu

support the implementation of the Greek national action plan on asylum reform and migration management.

EASO will continue developing and enhancing its Early warning and Preparedness System (EPS) providing asylum trends analyses. The EPS will support and feed in to the ‘mechanism for early warning, preparedness and crisis management’ foreseen under the Article 33 of the Dublin Regulation.

EASO will start its activities related to third country support in agreement with the European Commission. This will include actions related to supporting partnerships with third countries to reach common solutions, for example by capacity building and regional protection programmes, and to coordinate Member States’ actions on resettlement. EASO will be ready to play a role in possible initiatives on processing of asylum applications jointly by experts from various Member States.

In addition, during 2014 EASO will further consolidate its organisation and will recruit new staff members.

The EASO 2014 Working Programme can be accessed via the following link: http://easo.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/Work-Programme-2014.pdf