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ECtHR - N.D. and N.T. v. Spain, Application Nos. 8675/15 and 8697/15, 3 October 2017
Country of applicant: Ivory Coast, Mali
Keywords: Effective access to procedures, Legal assistance / Legal representation / Legal aid, Procedural guarantees, Return

NB: the case was referred to the Grand Chamber, which issued a new ruling on 13 February 2020. For the EDAL summary of the final judgment, see here.

The continued and exclusive control of contracting State's authorities over individuals creates, at least, a de facto exercise of jurisdiction for the purposes of Article 1 ECHR. 

In light of Spain's jurisdiction over N.D. and N.T, who had attempted to cross the fences separating Morocco from Melilla, Spain was bound by the prohibition of collective expulsions under the Convention. A standardised response of removal to the applicants attempted entry to the Spanish territory without any identification procedure or administrative or judicial measure being first taken meant that the Spanish authorities had violated Article 4 Protocol 4 to the Convention. 
 
The collective expulsion of the applicants was clearly linked to their inability to access a national procedure which would satisfy Article 13 requirements.The applicants had, therefore, also been denied an effective and rigorous remedy which would allow them to contest the collective expulsion. 
Date of decision: 03-10-2017
Relevant International and European Legislation: European Union Law,Council of Europe Instruments,EN - Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,Article 18,Article 19,Article 47,EN - Recast Asylum Procedures Directive 2013/32/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council,Article 8,Article 9,Article 11,Article 12,EN - Returns Directive, Directive 2008/115/EC of 16 December 2008,Article 1,Article 2,Article 8,Article 12,Article 13,EN - Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms,Article 1,Article 13,Article 41,ECHR (Fourth Protocol),Art 4,Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union 2010/C 83/01,EN - Treaty on European Union,Article 2,Article 6,Article 78
CJEU - C-225/16, Ouhrami
Country of applicant: Algeria
Keywords: Return

The CJEU ruled that the period of application of an entry ban under the Return Directive begins to run from the date on which the person concerned has actually left the territory of the Member States.

Date of decision: 26-07-2017
Relevant International and European Legislation: EN - Returns Directive, Directive 2008/115/EC of 16 December 2008,Recital (2),Recital (4),Recital (6),Recital (10),Recital (11),Recital (14),Article 1,Article 3,Article 6,Article 8,Article 11,Article 12,Article 20
CJEU - Case C‑47/15, Sélina Affum v Préfet du Pas-de-Calais, Procureur général de la cour d’appel de Douai
Country of applicant: Ghana
Keywords: Detention, Return
Imprisonment of a Third Country National on account of illegal entry to a Member State across an internal border of the Schengen area is not permitted under the Return Directive where said individual has not yet been subject to a return procedure.
 
This  applies equally to a Third Country National who is merely in transit on the territory of the Member State, is intercepted when leaving the Schengen area and is the subject of a procedure for readmission into the Member State from which he or she has come.
 
Date of decision: 07-06-2016
Relevant International and European Legislation: European Union Law,EN - Returns Directive, Directive 2008/115/EC of 16 December 2008,Recital (2),Recital (4),Recital (5),Recital (10),Recital (17),Recital (26),Article 1,Article 2,Article 3,Article 4,Article 6,Article 7,Article 8,Article 9,Article 11,Article 14,Article 15,Article 16,Article 17
CJEU - C‑601/15 PPU, J. N. v Staatssecretaris van Veiligheid en Justitie
Country of applicant: Unknown
Keywords: Detention, Return

Article 8(3)(e) of the recast Reception Conditions Directive fulfils the requirements of proportionality by virtue of the strictly circumscribed framework regulating its use. In light of Article 52(3) of the Charter, Article 8(3)(e) therefore complies with Article 5(1)(f) of the ECHR.

Date of decision: 15-02-2016
Relevant International and European Legislation: European Union Law,Council of Europe Instruments,EN - Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,Article 6,Article 52,EN - Returns Directive, Directive 2008/115/EC of 16 December 2008,Recital (4),Article 3,Article 7,Article 8,Article 11,EN - Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms,Article 5,Art 5.1,Art 5.1 (f),Art 5.2,EN - Recast Reception Conditions Directive, Directive 2013/33/EU of 26 June 2013,Recital (15),Recital (16),Recital (17),Recital (18),Recital (20),Recital (35),Article 2,Article 8,Article 9
CJEU - Case C-290/14, Skerdhan Celaj
Country of applicant: Albania
Keywords: Effective access to procedures, Detention, Return

The Returns Directive does not preclude domestic legislation which provides for a prison sentence as a criminal law penalty for non-EU citizens who unlawfully re-enter the country in breach of an entry ban.

Date of decision: 01-10-2015
Relevant International and European Legislation: 1951 Refugee Convention,Art 31,European Union Law,International Law,Council of Europe Instruments,EN - Returns Directive, Directive 2008/115/EC of 16 December 2008,Recital (1),Recital (4),Recital (14),Recital (23),Article 1,Article 8,Article 11,Art 31.1,EN - Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
CJEU - C-430/11 Sagor
Country of applicant: Bangladesh
Keywords: Return

This case concerns the interpretation of Directive 2008/115/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on common standards and procedures in Member States for returning illegally staying third-country nationals (OJ 2008 L 348, p. 98) and of Article 4(3) TEU.

Date of decision: 06-12-2012
Relevant International and European Legislation: Article 2,Article 4,Article 6,Article 7,Article 8,Article 15
CJEU - C-329/11 Achughbabian Alexandre Achughbabian v Préfet du Val-de-Marne
Country of applicant: Armenia
Keywords: Detention

The case concerned whether the Returns Directive precludesnational legislation providing for the imposition of a sentence of imprisonment on a third-country national on the sole ground of their illegal entry or residence in national territory.

Date of decision: 06-12-2011
Relevant International and European Legislation: Recital (4),Recital (5),Recital (17),Article 2,Article 3,Article 6,Article 7,Article 8,Article 9,Article 15