“The EU or member countries can’t determine that a country is safe in parts — such an assessment needs to be done as a whole,” said Hussein Baoumi, foreign policy advocacy officer at Amnesty International’s European institutions office, adding that attempts by European countries to designate areas of countries as safe would likely be blocked in court.
The EUAA’s latest guidance on Syria, dated April 2024, points to the threat posed by militias and labels Assad’s government “a main actor of persecution and serious harm in the country.” It also lists several areas — including the governorate of Aleppo, Syria’s most populous district — where “the mere presence of a civilian” would constitute “a real risk of serious harm” and therefore grounds for international protection.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, touts its own assistance to Syria and its surrounding countries, which have taken in millions of refugees, saying: “[H]alf the population is displaced, both inside and outside the country. Humanitarian needs in Syria are now at an all-time high.”
The EU has so far resisted requests from its member countries to review its Syria strategy — but left the door open for a change of heart.
The effect of this conversation on Syrian migrants in Europe, Singer said, leaves them in uncertainty.
“Many of them are working, completing their education, they are contributing to our societies, but are constantly reminded they might not be allowed to stay here,” Singer said.
“That is not good for integration, for the individuals, or for the labor market.”
Csongor Körömi contributed to this report.
