The report provides an overview of the main changes that took place in the national asylum system during 2023 and early 2024, documenting developments in the asylum procedure, reception conditions, administrative detention of asylum seekers, and international protection. Key findings shared by the report include the following:

Number of arrivals:

• In 2023, Greece saw a total of 48 721 refugee and migrant arrivals, a 159% increase from 2022 (18780).
• 41 561 people arrived by sea, while 7 160 came through land borders.
• There was a significant increase in the number of dead and missing persons (799) compared to 2022 (343), primarily due to the Pylos shipwreck.
• Most arrivals were from Syria (31.3%), Afghanistan (20%), Palestine (16.3%), Somalia (6.5%), and Eritrea (4.2%).
• Almost a quarter of sea arrivals were minors (24%), with 17% unaccompanied, 18.2% women, and 56.9% men.

Pushbacks:

• Allegations of informal forced returns (pushbacks) continued in 2023.
• The UN and other experts urged Greece to ensure transparent and impartial investigations into these allegations.
• The European Court of Human Rights granted 22 interim measures in cases involving pushbacks.
• Human rights defenders faced defamation, intimidation, and criminal prosecution for exposing or supporting pushback victims.

Key statistics on asylum:

• The Asylum Service recorded 57 891 new asylum applications and 6 321 subsequent applications.
• The majority of applicants were from Syria (21.8%), Afghanistan (14.8%), Palestine (10.5%), Iraq (10.1%), and Pakistan (6.3%).
• The recognition rate for international protection at the first instance was 76.7%, an increase from 62.3% in 2022.
• A significant number of applications were rejected based on the concept of a "safe third country," notably Turkey.

Access to asylum procedures:

• Access to asylum procedures in mainland Greece remained problematic.
• Applicants had to book appointments via an online platform, which was often inaccessible and non-functional between May and August 2023.
• Delays in appointment scheduling were reported, affecting applicants' access to their rights and protection from administrative detention.
• Detained applicants faced issues in accessing the asylum procedure.

Subsequent asylum applications:

• Subsequent applications require a fee of 100 euros per applicant or family member, unique to Greece among EU states.
• Legal challenges against this fee were pending by the end of the year.

Processing time for asylum applications:

• The number of pending asylum applications increased by nearly 50% in 2023.
• Detailed statistics on processing time were lacking, but delays in asylum interviews were reported.

Legal assistance:

• Free legal assistance was not provided at the first instance by the state but was available for second-instance appeals.
• Access to free legal aid was hindered by procedural issues.

Second-instance appeals:

• Most applications were rejected at the second instance.
• 8.6% of second-instance decisions granted refugee status, while 3% were granted subsidiary protection.
• Some appeals were dismissed as "inadmissible" due to procedural non-compliance by the applicants.

Dublin transfers:

• Dublin Regulation transfers, including those of unaccompanied minors, were suspended due to contractual issues but resumed mid-year.
• During May and June 2023, 66 transfers took place. Data for the rest of the year is not available due to the upgrade of the electronic system of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.

Safe third country concept:

• Turkey was designated as a "safe third country" for certain nationalities, leading to many applications being rejected as inadmissible.
• Legal challenges regarding this designation were ongoing.
• Refugees whose applications are rejected as inadmissible based on the concept of a "safe third country" face a legal gap in Greece.
• In February 2023, the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR) and Refugee Support Aegean (RSA) filed an annulment application. The Council of State referred a preliminary question to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding Article 38 of Directive 2013/32/EU.
• In 2023, 4 773 inadmissibility decisions were issued under Joint Ministerial Decision 734214/06.12.2022 concerning safe third countries.
• Despite the suspension of returns to Turkey, applicants do not receive a substantive examination of their claims, contrary to Article 38(4) of the Asylum Procedures Directive.

Identification of vulnerability:

• The process for identifying vulnerable individuals was inadequate, often missing those in need of special attention.
• Serious concerns remain about the identification of vulnerable people on the islands.
• Public health structures specialising in torture survivors’ identification and support were lacking.

Reception conditions:

• Asylum seekers arriving on Greek islands face geographical restrictions until their asylum process is complete.
• Following the termination of the ESTIA programme in December 2022, Greece's reception system has become a system of camps.
• By the end of 2023, 32 900 people were in the Greek reception system, with nearly half (15914) on islands.

Living conditions:

• Concerns persist about conditions in the newly established Closed Controlled Centres on islands, especially due to their highly securitised nature.
• Increased arrivals in the second half of 2023 further strained these centres' capacities.
• ECHR interim measures in 2023 highlighted the system's issues, focusing on remote and isolated locations.

Detention of asylum seekers:

• In 2023, 19 003 third-country nationals were detained, a slight increase from 2022. Among detainees, 504 were unaccompanied minors.
• At the end of 2023, 2 325 TCNs were under administrative detention, including 1 003 asylum seekers.
• Over a quarter of those detained had been held for more than six months.
• Asylum seekers and rejected applicants were systematically detained without proper consideration of their return prospects to Turkey, despite returns being suspended since March 2020.
• Applicants with registration appointments via the Ministry's platform continued to be detained, despite holding proof of their appointment.
• Detention conditions in many centres do not meet basic standards.
• Police stations and other facilities, unsuitable for detentions over 24 hours, also fall short of standards.
• Free legal aid for detainees to challenge their detention is not provided, violating national and EU laws.
• Only 24.3% of detention decisions were challenged in court in 2023.

Residence permit renewals:

• Significant delays in renewing residence permits, often exceeding one year.
• During the waiting period, refugees are given a six-month status certificate, protecting them from detention but denying them access to rights until the renewal is completed.

Family reunification:

Refugees face significant barriers to family reunification, including lengthy procedures, difficult document requirements, administrative hurdles, and visa issuance challenges.

Housing for recognised refugees:

• Recognised refugees in reception facilities must leave within 30 days after receiving their positive asylum decision.
• Lack of a support system for their integration in Greece leads to a high risk of homelessness and destitution.
• Several EU courts have suspended returns to Greece due to the risk of severe material deprivation for recognised refugees.

Temporary protection:

• As of December 31, 2023, 26 848 people received temporary protection in Greece, with 68.9% being women.
• Most were aged 35-64 years (10 439), with significant numbers also aged 18-34 years (6 924) and 0-13 years (5 760).
• Over 26.6% of beneficiaries were minors.
• Greece applies the Temporary Protection Directive to those who left Ukraine from November 26, 2021.
• Temporary protection is granted only to stateless persons and those with international or equivalent national protection in Ukraine and their family members who lived together in Ukraine before February 24, 2022.
• Beneficiaries enjoy rights to family reunification, freedom of movement, access to the labour market, education, vocational training, social welfare, and healthcare.
• They can apply for any residence permit under the new immigration code until March 4, 2025, without a valid visa requirement.
• Temporary protection beneficiaries are primarily housed in reception centres, with additional housing support through the HELIOS programme, which includes language courses and employment assistance.
• By November 2023, 14.1% of HELIOS programme participants were Ukrainian citizens.

This summary provides a snapshot of the challenges and procedural issues faced by asylum seekers and refugees in Greece in the past year, highlighting significant increases in arrivals, ongoing concerns about pushbacks, and systemic issues in accessing and processing asylum applications.