The project “Improving Asylum and Migration System in Romania” meets the Home Affairs Programme aim at focusing on improving the functioning of the asylum system, in order to ensure better direct support to migrants and asylum seekers, such as improved conditions in specialized centers, case processing, information, legal support, voluntary return, special care regarding the vulnerable persons, and institutional measures and enhance the cooperation between the MIA and other bodies (MIA specialized structures, NGOs, civil society, etc, together with international organizations, such as IOM and UNHCR).
The response capacity of the Romanian authorities facing a massive influx of immigrants shall be strengthened by developing the logistical capacity of the national authorities, such as ensuring a proper functioning of two national integrated centres for migrants, a simulation of a practical exercise, thematic training for structures involved in the management crisis, based on conclusions drawn after the practical exercise. All these measures shall establish a coordination tool and a preparation mechanism for all national competent authorities.
The accommodation and reception conditions for asylum seekers shall be improved, mainly for vulnerable persons and unaccompanied minors, creating conditions for recreational activities, counselling private spaces, social integration activities/courses etc. In this respect, two centers belonging to GII will be renovated within the project (at Giurgiu and Radauti), in order to fulfil the requirements regarding the comfort, access and services (re-partitioning and creation of accommodation and services spaces, creating facilities for children and persons with special needs, etc) for both centers, according to the needs. Further, the reception staff will benefit from specialized training on identification and assistance mechanism for vulnerable cases. The staff ensuring legal representation of unaccompanied minors will also benefit from specialized training.
The registration and processing system, as well as the supporting IT network, shall be improved by implementing a unitary platform for issuing temporary identity documents for migrants on the Romanian territory, by making a technical upgrade of the GII Data Centre (the extension is required in order to increase the processing power and speed). An information system for the asylum seekers accommodated at the 6 regional centres of Romania shall be created (electronic devices, specific applications), in order to ensure a better information regarding their rights and obligations during the asylum procedure, and to facilitate the communication with the staff.
The staff professional competencies shall be improved through exchange of good practices, training sessions, in particular on using country of origin information, and development of dedicated working instruments, documentation visits and implementation of EASO training Curricula modules at the national level.
For the fulfillment of the obligations of Romania as a EU Member State, the proposed project consortium pays special attention to measures optimizing the management of the overall system by:
– prompt and concerted response of national authorities in the case of an influx of migrants including strengthening border control;
– functional IT infrastructure that can support a proper processing of data regarding foreigners in Romania and also, to ensure a proper correlation with other relevant systems;
– ensure the accommodation capacity of persons in need of international protection and assistance needed by persons relocated in Romania, with a special focus on vulnerable groups;
– institutional strengthening realized through training sessions of the personnel from the competent authorities in the field of asylum, prevention and combating of irregular migration and human trafficking. – increasing the awareness of the migrants about legal forms of migration and risks of illegal migration, and also of the local population regarding the positive aspects of the phenomenon.