History of asylum and Ofpra

Common European Asylum System ( CEAS ): implementation of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) in Malta with the aim of contributing to the implementation of the  Common European Asylum System, reinforcing practical cooperation on asylum between the Member States, and providing operational support to the Member States whose asylum systems and reception are under particular pressure.
Creation of the OFPRA History Committee
OFPRA is placed under the administrative and financial supervision of the Ministry of the Interior, the ministry responsible for asylum.

Main nationalities : Congolaese (DRC), Albanians, Georgians, Pakistanis

The conflict in Syria and the seizing of power by armed Islamist groups in Mali have a repercussion on asylum requests, with an increase in Syrian and Malian requests.
France is ranked second of the host countries for asylum seekers in Europe, behind Germany.

Main nationalities of asylum seekers : Congolese (DRC), Kosovars et Albanians.

Due to the current conflicts, applications from Syrians, Malians and Central Africans increase greatly.
26 June 2013:  adoption of the directive procedures, the new reception directive, the new revised Dublin Regulation (Dublin III), and the revised EURODAC Regulation.

Humanitarian resettlement mission for Syrian refugees decreed by the President of the Republic in October.

Adoption of the second European Pact on Immigration and Asylum.
OFPRA organised missions to the Near East and began processing Syrian applications within a shorter timeframe than usual.
OFPRA also accompanied migrants at Calais, organising an on-site mission providing information on asylum and implementing the rapid investigation of the applications made there.
At OFPRA, the asylum seeker can now come to the interview at the Office accompanied by a lawyer or a representative of an approved organisation. The opening of an online service allowing protected persons to file their applications for copies of civil-status documents. Implementation of “quality control” of the Office’s decisions, run with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR) during 2014, 2016 and 2018 with a double assessment by the Office agents and experts appointed by the HCR.

2015 is the year of the “Asylum Crisis” during which more than 1 million migrants sought asylum in the European Union.

In France there is a notable rise in asylum requests from the second half of 2015, in particular from people in obvious need of protection (Syrians, Iraqis, Sudanese, Erythreans, Afghans).

Law concerning asylum reform of 29 July 2015: new guarantees for asylum seekers (presence of a third person at interview, audio recording, reclassification from the accelerated procedure to the normal procedure, better care of vulnerable people), priority treatment of applications from people in obvious need of protection.
Within the context of the war on terrorism (marked by the terrorist attacks on the Bataclan in November), the law requires OFPRA to communicate to the Public Prosecutor all information pertinent to exclusion . The Office must see whether an asylum seeker presents a serious threat to the security of the State or to society, and if this is the case they may refuse asylum, or may remove their existing asylum status.
OFPRA publishes the Asylum Guide for Unaccompanied Minors in France, and organises its first Open Days for the partners of the Office.

Main nationalities of asylum seekers : Afghans, Albanians, Georgians, Guineans, Ivoirians.

Law of 10 September 2018: the beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and stateless persons now receive a four-year resident permit. Accompanied minors are better supported at all stages of the asylum process and their protection by OFPRA: the asylum request presented by a foreigner arriving in France accompanied by their underage children is now regarded as being in their name and those of their children. 

OFPRA contributes to the implementation of the commitment made by the President of the  Republic to Nadia Murad, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, to welcome to France a hundred  Yezidi women and their families, who had been victims of the Islamic State.

Main nationalities of asylum seekers : Afghans, Guineans, Georgians, Albanians.

OFPRA receives 132,700 applications in 2019 and grants its protection to 46,200 people, making this the highest annual figure in its history.
Fifteen resettlement missions are organised in Sahel and in the Middle East with the HCR.