sou · GUB36 · 2007-01-01 00:00:00 — Den svenska regleringen av hälso- och sjukvård till personer med särskilda behov motsvarar det som skall gälla enligt skyddsgrundsdirektivet. Underåriga utan medföljande vuxen Med underårig utan medföljande vuxen avses i skyddsgrundsdirek- tivet såväl ett barn som anlänt till medlemsstaten utan vuxen som ansvarar för det, som ett barn som lämnats ensam efter ankomsten till medlemsstaten. Skyddsgrundsdirektivet föreskriver att dessa barn skall företrädas av en förmyndare eller på annat lämpligt sätt. Förmyndaren skall stå under tillsyn. Barnet skall placeras i ett lämpligt boende. Medlemsstaten skall bemöda sig att efterforska barnets familjemedlemmar. Uppgifter i samband med efterforsk- ningen skall behandlas konfidentiellt. Genom bestämmelserna i lag (2005:429) om god man för ensam- kommande barn och bestämmelser om särskilt förordnad vårdnadshavare är skyddsgrundsdirektivets krav på att ensamkommande barn skall företrädas av en lämplig representation genomfört i svensk rätt. bestämmelser om över- förmyndartillsyn och bestämmelserna i socialtjänstlagen (2001:453) om kommunens ansvar för barn och ungdomar som vistas i kommunen, medför sammantaget att direktivets krav på att den underåriges behov tillgodoses, är genomfört i svensk rätt. Skydds- grundsdirektivets bestämmelser om placering av ensamkommande barn är genomförda i den svenska lagstiftningen genom bestäm- melserna i socialtjänstlagen. föreslås få ansvar för efterforskningen av de ensamkommande barnens familjemedlemmar efter det att barnet beviljats uppehållstillstånd. Genom bestämmelserna i sekretessla- gen (1980:100) är skyddsgrundsdirektivets krav på att uppgifter i samband med efterforskningen skall behandlas konfidentiellt genomfört i svensk rätt. Flyktingar och alternativt skyddsbehövande skall enligt skydds- grundsdirektivet ges tillgång till bostad på likvärdiga villkor som andra tredjelandsmedborgare som är lagligen bosatta i landet. Den svenska författningsregleringen säkerställer genom dels bestämmelser i lag (1994:137) om mottagande av asylsökande m.fl., dels i socialtjänstlagen och genom de överenskommelser som träf- fas mellan staten och kommuner om flyktingmottagande, att flyk- tingar och andra skyddsbehövande får tillgång till bostad på villkor som väl tillgodoser skyddsgrundsdirektivets krav. Rätt till fri rörlighet inom medlemsstaten Flyktingar och alternativt skyddsbehövande skall enligt skydds- grundsdirektivet tillåtas röra sig fritt inom medlemsstatens terri- torium på samma villkor och med samma begränsningar som gäller för andra tredjelandsmedborgare som är lagligen bosatta inom medlemsstaten. Utlänningars rörelsefrihet begränsas antingen genom lag eller genom förordning, i sådana bestämmelser görs ingen skillnad mel- lan utlänningar utifrån på vilken grund de vistas i landet. Svensk rätt uppfyller således skyddsgrundsdirektivets krav. Tillgång till integrationsfrämjande åtgärder För flyktingar skall det finnas lämpliga integrationsprogram. Om det är lämpligt skall personer som innehar status som alternativt skyddsbehövande ges tillgång till sådana program. I har såväl flyktingar som skyddsbehövande i övrigt till- gång till integrationsfrämjande åtgärder, dels genom bestämmel- serna i förordning (1990:927) om statlig ersättning för flykting- mottagande m.m., dels genom bestämmelserna i skollagen (1985:1100) om svenska för invandrare. Skyddsgrundsdirektivet uppställer inga förpliktelser därutöver. Skyddsgrundsdirektivet innehåller en fakultativ bestämmelse om bidrag till återvandring. I svensk rätt finns bestämmelser om bidrag till återvandring i återvandringsförordningen (1984:890). Administrativt samarbete inom EU Av skyddsgrundsdirektivet följer att medlemsstaterna skall utse en nationell kontaktpunkt. Det bör ankomma på regeringen att ta ställning till svensk kon- taktpunkt och att meddela kommissionen vilket organ eller myn- dighet som utsetts. Skyddsgrundsdirektivet föreskriver att de som svarar för genom- förandet av direktivet skall ha tillräcklig utbildning och vara bun- dna av tystnadsplikt. Bestämmelsen syftar enligt utredningen till att sakligt och rätts- ligt riktiga beslut fattas. Skyddsgrundsdirektivet anger inte i vilken utsträckning utbildning skall tillhandahållas och medför ingen skyldighet för medlemsstaterna att vidta författningsåtgärder på området. Sekretesslagen och andra författningars föreskrifter om förbud att lämna ut handlingar och tystnadsplikt tillgodoser direktivets krav. Några författningsändringar för att genomföra skyddsgrunds- direktivet behövs inte. Kostnader och konsekvenser av lämnade förslag De förslag till författningsbestämmelser som utredningen lämnar avser dels att kodifiera vad som redan följer av etablerad praxis, dels att skyddsgrundsdirektivets bestämmelser avseende främst alter- nativt skyddsbehövande författningsregleras. Förslaget att ålägga ett ansvar för efterforskning av ensamkommande barns familjemedlemmar kommer att medföra ökade kostnader för Förslaget avser emellertid att tillgodose de krav skydds- grundsdirektivet ställer på svensk rätt. Flyktingstatus och alternativa skyddskategorier – en statistisk jämfö- relse Endast en liten andel av de personer som under åberopande av skyddsbehov får uppehållstillstånd i erkänns som flykting- ar. är ett av de länder inom EU som har den lägsta andelen beslut om uppehållstillstånd på grund av flyktingskäl, medan alter- skyddskategorier bereds relativt stort utrymme. Avståndet till EU-genomsnittet för uppehållstillstånd på grund av flykting- skäl, är stort. Det går inte att koppla skillnaden mellan svensk och utländsk praxis till en eller ett fåtal rättsliga faktorer. The Inquiry has been instructed in its terms of reference, first, to take a position on the implementation in of Council Directive 2004/83/EC of on minimum standards for the qualification and status of third country nationals or stateless persons as refugees or as persons who otherwise need international protection and the content of the protection granted (the Qualification Directive), and second, to make a comparison of the percentage of persons granted refugee or subsidiary protection status in and in some selected Member States and to analyse the reasons for substantial differences. The Inquiry has examined the shape of Swedish legislation and case-law in each individual area covered by the terms of reference. The Inquiry has proceeded on the basis of the New Aliens Act (2005:716) (below, the New Aliens Act). Implementation of the Qualification Directive To begin with, the Inquiry has studied different methods of imple- menting the Directive, in particular the requirements placed on a if it chooses to implement a minimum directive. In assessing whether the Qualification Directive has been implemented in Swedish law, the Inquiry has investigated whether the Swedish legislation and/or case-law establishes a sufficiently clear and unambiguous framework for the legal position, and whether individuals therefore, firstly, have adequate opportunities to identify their rights and obligations and, secondly, can have their claims heard in a court of law. The provisions of the Qualification Directive often display a greater degree of regulatory detail than the provisions of the New Aliens Act. To the extent that the provisions of the Directive are entrenched in well established case-law it has not been considered necessary, nor in some cases appropriate, to introduce the detailed provisions of the Directive in the text of the law. In certain respects, principally concerning subsidiary protection status, the Swedish regulations do not correspond to the rights and respon- sibilities that follow from the Qualification Directive. The purpose of the Inquirys proposals is an adjustment of the Swedish legislation. The definition of refugees used in both the New Aliens Act and in the Qualification Directive is based on the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. The determination of status made in this connection is to be forward-looking, and in the opinion of the Inquiry this should be clear from the wording of the law. In its bill Refugee status and persecution on grounds of sex or sexual orientation (Gov. 2005/06:6), the Government has proposed that people who feel a well-founded fear of persecution on grounds of sex or sexual orientation, and who are granted protection under current regulations as otherwise in need of protection (subsidiary protection status), should instead receive protection as refugees. The Inquirys proposal and the Government would bring Swedish law into line with the Qualification Directive. It is essential that asylum applications are tested against the provisions of the Convention. It is not enough for a person who qualifies as a refugee under the Convention to receive a permit on other grounds. The Inquirys proposal makes this clear by proposing that the issue of refugee status be determined in all asylum cases. In this process of determination it is important to adopt an international perspective. The Qualification Directive contains optional (non-mandatory) provisions on protection needs arising sur place and internal protection. The provisions reflect an interpretation of the Convention that is established in Swedish and international case- law. The optional scope provided by the regulations can be used without statutory support. The examples given in the Qualification Directive of actors of persecution and actors of protection against persecution reflect an interpretation of the Convention that is established in Swedish and international case-law. no reason to regulate the issue in detail in the text of the law. The Inquiry notes, further, that the concept of persecution used in the definition of refugee does not assume that the direct source of persecution is the state. Current law also covers cases in which there is no effective government in a country and no legislative amendments are needed in order to implement the provisions of the Qualification Directive in this area. Swedish procedures in connection with the cessation of refugee status comply with the requirements of the Qualification Directive. The proposal is made to link the grounds of exclusion in Article 1D, E and F of the Convention, which currently can limit the right to obtain a permit, to the granting of refugee status. The Inquiry proposes that a provision be introduced in the New Aliens Act that a permit for a refugee must be permanent or be valid for at least three years and renewable unless compelling reasons of national security or public order otherwise require. The provisions in the New Aliens Act on revocation of refugee status fulfil the mandatory provisions of the Qualification Directive on revocation or ending of refugee status. An alien who does not meet the criteria for refugee status may in future be granted subsidiary protection status. In order to implement this part of the Qualification Directive, it is proposed that Chapter 4, Section 2 of the New Aliens Act be supplemented by a provision covering serious and individual threat to a civilians life or person by reason of indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict. The Qualification Directive contains optional provisions on protection needs arising sur place and internal protection. The optional scope given by the provisions can be used without statutory support. An addition in Chapter 4, Section 2 of the New Aliens Act makes it clear that a risk of actions such as the section refers to can be present irrespective of whether the actions proceed from the authorities in the country or it cannot be assumed that these authorities will provide security against such actions being committed by individuals. The examples of actors that can provide protection against serious harm given in the Qualification Directive reflect Swedish case-law. There is no reason to regulate the issue specially in the text of the law. The Qualification Directive uses as objective risk criteria substantial grounds for believing and real risk of suffering serious harm. These criteria may be considered more favourable for the individual than the criterion well-founded fear in the New Aliens Act. The New Aliens Act should therefore be amended to include the criteria in the Directive. Furthermore, in accordance with the requirements of the Qualification Directive, the Aliens Act should contain a provision on the ending of subsidiary protection status. A permit for a person with subsidiary protection status should be permanent, or valid for a period of at least one year, and renewable unless compelling reasons of national security or public order otherwise require. Granting subsidiary protection status is an acknowledgement in the course of the decision-making process that an alien is in need of subsidiary protection. As in the case of refugees, a person granted subsidiary protection should receive confirmation of his or her status (declaration of subsidiary protection status). In addition, provisions are proposed on when subsidiary protection status is to be revoked. Assessment of facts and circumstances The Qualification Directive contains provisions on how to assess applications for international protection. The Swedish system for assessing applications for international protection currently meets the requirements raised by the Directive, both legally and in prac- tice. The implementation of the New Aliens Act, which will lead to a system in which appeals against decisions by the Swedish Migra- tion Board are made to a court of law, will mean that the guaran- tees of legal certainty required by the Directive will be further en- sured. Information concerning the rights and obligations relating to the status granted Under the Qualification Directive, refugees and individuals with subsidiary protection status must be informed of the rights and obligations relating to the status granted. This is done. However, there is no regulation in an act or ordinance directing that infor- mation must be provided. The Inquiry therefore proposes that a new provision on information concerning the rights and obliga- tions relating to the status granted be introduced in the Aliens Ordinance (1989:547). Swedish law applies the principle of family unity to families of refugees. As far as possible, the unity of families of individuals with subsidiary protection status is also maintained. Family members generally obtain the same status as the person granted protection. The Qualification Directive entails certain obligations for the Member States concerning family members of beneficiaries of refugee or subsidiary protection status who do not individually qualify for such status. Family members are entitled to permits and have far-reaching rights to the other benefits that are regulated by the Directive. The Inquiry proposes that a provision be introduced in the New Aliens Act stating that a spouse, partner or unmarried child of a refugee or person with subsidiary protec- tion status is entitled to a permit. The permit is to be permanent, or valid for a period of at least one year, and renewable unless reasons of national security or public order otherwise require. The provisions in the New Aliens Act concerning revocation of permits of family members are compatible with the provisions of the Qualification Directive. The proposed provision that family members of beneficiaries of refugee or subsidiary protection status are to be granted permanent permits or temporary permits valid for at least one year ensures that family members will have access to the residence-based benefits regulated in Chapter VII of the Directive. With regard to the level of benefits to be provided to family members of beneficiaries of refugee or subsidiary protection status, Swedish law meets the requirements of the Qualification Directive. Under both the Qualification Directive and Swedish law, a document is to be issued to refugees in the cases specified in the Convention. No amendments of current regulations are needed to implement this part of the Qualification Directive. documents for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status in the case of serious humanitarian reasons The Qualification Directive requires Member States to issue to beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status a document that enables them to to another state if serious humanitarian reasons arise that require their presence in the other state. At present an aliens passport can be issued for this purpose, but there is no obligation to do so. The Inquiry therefore proposes that the provision concerning aliens passports in the Aliens Ordinance should be supplemented by an obligation for the Swedish Migra- tion Board to issue an aliens passport to a beneficiary of subsidiary protection status if necessary for serious humanitarian reasons. Access to the labour market The Qualification Directive stipulates that Member States must give beneficiaries of refugee or subsidiary protection status access to the labour market. Refugees must also be given access to labour market related measures. Beneficiaries of refugee and subsidiary protection status do not need a work permit in order to work in . There is no requirement of a permit corresponding to a work permit for aliens who wish to run their own business. There are provisions in Swedish law that limit the right of aliens to practice a profession. These provisions comply with the requirements of the Qualification Directive. Beneficiaries of both refugee and subsi- diary protection status have access to labour market related measures under the same conditions as Swedish nationals. No amendments to current statutes are proposed. The Qualification Directive stipulates that children who are refugees or have been granted subsidiary protection status must be given access to the education system under the same conditions as Swedish children. Adults who are refugees or have been granted subsidiary protection status must be given access to the education system under the same conditions as other third country nationals legally resident in the country. Swedish legislation gives children who are refugees or have subsidiary protection status the right to schooling or other education under the same conditions as Swedish children. Adult refugees and aliens who have been granted subsidiary protection status have access to municipal adult education and higher education. Furthermore, they can claim credit for both Swedish and foreign education under the same conditions as Swedish nationals. The requirements of the Qualification Directive are accordingly fulfilled. A special question regarding the right to education is the possibility of being granted a study allowance. Beneficiaries of refugee and subsidiary protection status have the same right to a study allowance as Swedish nationals for studies in , which means the provisions of the Qualification Directive are fulfilled. Social security, social benefits and health and care The Qualification Directive stipulates that legislation in Member States on social security systems for employed and self-employed persons must be applied for beneficiaries of refugee and subsidiary protection status. Most Swedish social insurance benefits are included in the Community law concept of social security. In practice, benefi- ciaries of refugee and subsidiary protection status are granted permits for at least one year, which means that these aliens are registered as residents and are thereby entitled to residence-based social insurance benefits under the same conditions as Swedish nationals from the date that a permit that leads to entry in the population registry is granted. social insurance benefits can be paid to a working person regardless of whether he or she is a resident of the country or not. The Qualification Directive also stipulates that beneficiaries of refugee and subsidiary protection status are to receive necessary social assistance that is provided to the Member States own nationals. Regarding beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status, this support may be limited to pertain to core benefits which are then to be paid under the same conditions as for the Member States own nationals. In order to determine which benefits and measures are included in the Qualification Directives social benefits (social assistance) under Swedish law, the Inquiry has based its analysis on the concept of social service in Swedish legislation. Beneficiaries of refugee and subsidiary protection status have access to social benefits under the same conditions as Swedish nationals once a permit leading to resident status is granted. Beneficiaries of refugee and subsidiary protection status must be given access to health and care under the same conditions as the Member States own nationals. Regarding beneficiaries of subsidiary protection status, access to health and care may be limited under the same conditions that apply for social support. Furthermore, beneficiaries of refugee and subsidiary protection status with special needs must be given access to health and care under the same conditions as the Member States own nationals. The draft act prepared by the Government Offices on health and care as well as dental care for asylum seekers and others means that the Qualification Directives provisions on providing health and care to beneficiaries of refugee and subsidiary protection status will be implemented in Swedish law. The Swedish regulations on health and care for persons with special needs correspond to those which must apply under the Qualification Directive. In the Qualification Directive, unaccompanied minors refers both to a child who has arrived in a unaccompanied by a responsible adult, and a child who has been left alone after arrival in a . The Qualification Directive stipulates that these children are to be represented by a guardian or in some other appropriate . The guardian is subject to supervision. The child is to be placed in suitable accommodation. The is to endeavour to trace the childs family members. Infor- mation in connection with this search must remain confidential. By means of the provisions of the Act on custodianship for unaccompanied children (2005:429) and the provisions of the Children and Parents Code concerning specially appointed guardians, the requirements of the Qualification Directive that unaccompanied children must to be provided with appropriate representation have been implemented in Swedish law. The provisions of the Children and Parents Code on supervision by a chief guardian and the provisions of the Act (2001:453) on municipal responsibility for children and young people living in the municipality together mean that the Directives requirement that a minors needs be met has been implemented in Swedish law. The provisions of the Qualification Directive concerning the placement of an unaccompanied child are implemented in Swedish legislation through the provisions of the Act. It is proposed that be given the task of tracing an unaccompanied childs family members after a child has been granted a permit. By means of the provisions of the Secrecy Act (1980:100), the requirements of the Qualification Directive that information in connection with the search must remain confidential have been implemented in Swedish law. Under the Qualification Directive, beneficiaries of refugee and subsidiary protection status must be given access to accommo- dation under equivalent conditions as other third country nationals legally resident in the country.