Case summaries
According to the new 10 September 2018 French Law on Controlled Migration, there will be no criminal proceedings against individuals who have helped in the movement and illegal residence of undocumented migrants, when the aid consisted in providing legal, linguistic or social advice or assistance, or any other aid provided for an exclusively humanitarian purpose.
Criminal immunity is thus defined in a much less restrictive manner, and shall apply to acts committed before the entry into force of the new law.
The Constitutional Council decides on the constitutionality of the 48H limit under national law for a third-country national to appeal against an order to be escorted to the border. The Council found that the deadline is in line with the French Constitution, as it guarantees the right to an effective remedy.
After being notified of his return decision, set to take place on the same day, the applicant requested an interim measure on Article 3 ECHR grounds in the morning but was nonetheless expelled to Morocco in the afternoon. The Court found no violation of Article 3, regarding the applicant’s expulsion to Morocco, by taking into account subsequent information. It found a violation of Article 34 of the Convention, owing to the fact that the applicant had no sufficient time to file a request to the Court, hence running the risk back then of being potentially subjected to treatment prohibited by the Convention.
The Constitutional Council decided on the criminal exemptions in favour of persons involved in the crime of assisting aliens to irregularly stay in a country. The first sentence of article L. 622-4 of the code of entry and stay of foreigners and the right to asylum (CESEDA) is unconstitutional as it must include not only the assistance to irregular stay in a country but also the assistance to the movement of aliens being in an irregular situation. The Council also specifies, in relation to the third paragraph of the above-mentioned article, that it is to be applied to any act assisting aliens to irregularly stay when motivated by humanitarian purposes. The Council hence enshrines the constitutional value of the fraternity principle.
The transposition of the Asylum Procedures Directive (APD) in French legislation is incomplete on certain aspects (provision of information to applicants for asylum; access to the report of the personal interview under the border procedure) and complete on other aspects.
The European Court of Human Rights found a violation of Article 5 para 1 (f), 4 and 5 with regards to some of the eleven applicants in this case, who were detained as suspected terrorists by UK authorities.