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The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) has recently published its Work Programme for 2013. The European Union aims at putting in place a Common European Asylum System by the end of 2012. This makes 2013 a crucial year for the implementation of such a system.

The Court of Appeal in the UK has granted stays preventing the removal of three asylum seekers to Cyprus in accordance with the Dublin Regulation while it awaits a pronouncement of the Supreme Court that should clarify the criteria under which a Dublin transfer should be discarded. In a case from the Appeals Court concerning a Dublin transfer to Italy, the Supreme Court is expected to establish whether systemic deficiencies in the asylum system and reception conditions are required to stop Dublin removals, or whether an individual risk of violations of ECHRs rights would suffice.

(Reference for a preliminary ruling - Citizenship of the Union - Article 20 TFEU - Directive 2003/86/CE - Right to family reunification - Union citizens who are minor children living with their mothers, who are third country nationals, in the territory of the Member State of which the children are national - Permanent right of residence in that Member State of the mothers who have been granted sole custody of the Union citizens - Change in composition of the families following the mother's remarriage to third country nationals and the birth of children of those marriages who are also third

The applicants, Ahmed Rahmani, an Algerian national, and Dimka Dineva, a Bulgarian national, were born in 1964 and 1959 respectively and live in Stara Zagora (Bulgaria). A married couple, they complain about Mr Rahmani's detention pending execution of the removal order issued against him on the ground that he was unlawfully present in the country.