Asylum in the EU Member States

This document contains a short description of relevant instruments concerning asylum and refugees, on a global and on a European level, mainly the definition of a refugee, procedural safeguards, accelerated procedures, the safe country of origin and safe third country principles, manifestly unfounded applications, the Dublin Convention (Part I). Part II makes a comparison between the practices of Member States and draws some conclusions as to the level of harmonisation. Part III contains a view of asylum procedures country by country for the 15 Member States.