EU rule change provides more protection for asylum seekers

Police investigating crime will be able to access the fingerprints of asylum seekers for the first time under new rules that should see asylum seekers’ requests dealt with much faster in future.

New legislation, aimed at giving asylum seekers more protection but also hoping to eliminate major differences between EU countries in the way their applications are dealt with, was approved by members of the European Parliament.

The Irish presidency got agreement on the complex set of measures among member states and now the package of six pieces of legislation should be voted into force in June.