EUROPE AND REFUGEES

A colloquium on the interpretation of Article 1 of the Geneva Refugee Convention in the European Union and North America, the free movement of asylum seekers and the processing of asylum claims.

• Universitaire Faculteiten Sint-Ignatius Antwerpen
  • Centrum Grondslagen van het Recht
• Facultés universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix, Namur
  • Centre droit et sécurité d'existence
• Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve
  • Département de droit international
• Universiteit Gent
  • Seminarie voor privaatrechtelijk procesrecht

• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
• Jesuit Refugee Service
• Fondation Universitaire pour la Coopération Internationale au Développement (FUCID - Namur)
• Nationaal Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NFWO) - Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS)
• Overlegcentrum voor Integratie van Vluchtelingen (OCIV)

Western Europe and North America are faced with increasing requests for asylum and for recognition of refugee status. This phenomenon raises numerous questions related to the existence of democracy itself.

In order to study one aspect of the debate, lawyers from three Belgian universities (Namur-FUNDP, Antwerp-UFSIA and Louvain-la- Neuve-UCL) have been working together since 1992 on the notion of refugee as it is applied in European and North American States.

By bringing together specialists from various countries, this colloquium was part of this work. Its goal was to confront the research results with the prevailing opinions and public debate. In a broader sense, beyond the notion of refugee, the problem of the circulation of asylum seekers was discussed.

In a modest way, this colloquium sought to join in the philosophical, sociological and juridical questions generated by the existence of refugees. It is dedicated to those, too numerous in the world today, who remain fugitives in search of peace.

PROGRAMME :

• Opening speech
  Prof. Jan VELAERS, Director of the Centrum Grondslagen van het recht, UFSIA, Antwerpen (Belgium)

• Presentation of the work
  Prof. Xavier DIJON, Director of the Centre droit et sécurité d'existence, FUNDP, Namur (Belgium)

First session: The notion of refugee

• President : Mr. Jose RIERA,
  Deputy Regional Representative, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Benelux and European Institutions)

• An ethical point of view
  Mrs. Marie-Claire CALOZ-TSCHOPP, Philosopher, research assistant, Université de Genève (Switzerland)

• A legal point of view
  Prof. James HATHAWAY, York University, Toronto (Canada)

• Comparison of the judicial interpretations of the notion of refugee
  Mr. Dirk VANHEULE, Assistant, Universiteit Antwerpen, UFSIA (Belgium)

• The role of adjudicating authorities
  Prof. François JULIEN-LAFERRIERE, Université de Paris XI (France)

• Round table : Points of view on the refugee concept and on the role of adjudicating authorities
  Prof. Deborah ANKER, Harvard Law School (U.S.A.)
  Prof. Marc BOSSUYT, Universiteit Antwerpen, UIA, Commissioner general for refugees and stateless persons (Belgium)
  Mrs. Raymonde FOUCART, First president, Standing Refugee Appeals Board (Belgium)
  Prof. Eduard SAGARRA TRIAS, Universitat de Barcelona (Spain)
  Prof. Andrew SHACKNOVE, Oxford University (United Kingdom)

Second session: Free circulation of asylum seekers and refugees

• President : Prof. Lode VAN OUTRIVE
  Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Ancien député Parlement européen

• A socio-political point of view
  Mr. Philip RUDGE, Secretary general of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)

• A legal point of view
  Prof. Roel FERNHOUT, Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen

• Round table : Points of view on the circulation of asylum seekers and refugees
  Prof. Ulrike BRANDL, Universität Salzburg (Austria)
  Dr. Philippe DEBRUYCKER, Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium)
  Prof. Bruno NASCIMBENE, Università di Milano (Italy)
  Prof. Jens VEDSTED-HANSEN, Aarhuus Universitet (Denmark)
  Prof. Daniel WARNER, Graduate Institute of International Studies (Switzerland)

Conclusions

Dr. Jean-Yves CARLIER, Director of research, FUNDP - Lecturer, UCL (Belgium)

The results of the research on the interpretation of the Geneva refugee definition and the proceedings of the colloquium will be published by Kluwer Law International in 1997.

As a side-effect of this research we have set up an electronic discussion list about asylum and refugee status. Everyone is invited to subscribe to this e-mail list.

More information: contact Dirk Vanheule

• Tel : (int)-32-3-220.46.02
  
• Fax : (int)-32-3-220.45.46