Asylum policy in the European union: An examination of the reception conditions directive and housing facilities for asylum seekers in Malta

This paper starts on the premise that common asylum policies in the European Union (EU) have levelled and pushed down standards of protection and reception offered to people fleeing persecution (asylum seekers). Based on preliminary field research conducted at a state-funded housing facility for asylum seekers in Malta in 2008 as well as secondary sources, this paper employs a human rights approach to demonstrate that the poor conditions in the housing facility are a manifestation of the EU's larger asylum policy which is based on security, control and deterrence. Significant events in the historical evolution of EU asylum policy are discussed to show that supranational control of asylum policy and asylum policy harmonization has resulted in inadequate standards of protection and reception. The conclusion offers research implications which arise from this paper as well as recommendations on how to better integrate asylum seekers and housing facilities into the host community.