Ref. Ares(2020)3974972 - 28/07/2020
MANUAL OF STANDARD
OPERATING PROCEDURES
applicable to the ‘Pournara’ First
Reception Centre
28 July 2020
These Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) contain instructions for managing the ‘Pournara’ Frist
Reception Centre. They define the role and processes to be implemented by personnel employed in
‘Pournara’, as well as those all involved within national and European bodies, international
organisations, civil society (e.g. NGOs) as wel as volunteers’ networks active in the centre. The
procedures listed in this document are to be used for activities organised within the centre. In the
event of discrepancies between this document and the applicable legislation, the latter shall apply.
Table of Contents
List of abbreviations ......................................................................................................................
3
I.
Introduction ................................................................................................................
4
II.
Standard Operating Procedures ...................................................................................
5
2
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
ALDO
Advanced Level Document Officer/ experts (Frontex)
ARC
Aliens Registration Certificate
AVRR
Assisted Voluntary Return and Repatriation
CAS
Cyprus’ Asylum Service
CRMD
Civil Registry and Migration Department
EASO
European Asylum Support Office
Europol
European Union’s law enforcement agency
Europol GOs Europol Guest Officers
Frontex
European Border and Coast Guard Agency
Frontex TM Frontex Team Member
JTD
Joint Debriefing Team
MoH
Ministry of Health
NFIs
Non-Food Items
RCD
Reception Conditions Directive 2013/33/EU
SSCs
Secondary Security Checks
SWS
Social Welfare Services
TCN
Third Country National
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I. INTRODUCTION
In order to cope successful y with rising migration pressure in Cyprus, the Cypriot government
with EU support (European Commission and Union agencies) has established a ful y-fledged
first reception centre in ‘Pournara’ for third-country nationals arriving irregularly in Cyprus
with the aim of managing incoming mixed migration flows more efficiently and effectively.
This approach aims to achieving swiftly identifying, registering and fingerprinting arriving
migrants, and channel ing them to the relevant fol ow-up procedures.
This duration of the stay in a closed centre such as ‘Pournara’ for the purposes of identification
should, in principle, not exceed 5 days. Any extension of stay must be in line with Article 8 of
the Reception Conditions Directive 2013/33/EU (RCD), i.e. necessity of detention, an
individual assessment and detention only for grounds laid out in Article 8(3) of the RCD.
There is an imminent need to streamline processes and ensure coordination between the
different actors involved throughout the migration management chain, i.e. from first arrival
to their channel ing into the asylum or return procedures, while ensuring an effective
crosscutting mechanism for vulnerable migrants. Concerning the asylum seekers,
unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups their referral upon exiting ‘Pournara’ will take
place based on a comprehensive reception strategy, compliant with the relevant EU legislation
and reception standards.
The Aliens Registration Certificate (ARC) should be issued first as the “unique identifier
number” of a migrant, or at least at the same time
(but in any event not after) with any other
file number e.g. the asylum file number. The ARC should be issued electronically to all migrants
been processed irrespectively of any fol ow-up legal status.
In order to help Cyprus enhance and ful y align and streamline the registration and follow-up
procedures, the Commission jointly with EASO, Frontex and Europol agreed with the Cypriot
authorities on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the ‘Pournara’ centre as laid out in
this document. These are to be considered as regular procedures; contingency procedures
and relevant protocols should be developed in parallel, e.g. in the context of COVID-19
situation, for backlog management including an appointments’ system and for asylum pre-
registration in case of mass arrivals.
EASO, Europol and Frontex wil support the Cypriot authorities throughout these procedures,
as indicated in this document, within their legal mandates and in line with their respective
operational plans agreed with Cyprus. Key actors remain the competent relevant authorities,
in no way being substituted by the EU agencies. The European Commission contributes
financially and operationally in addressing the migration management issues, including in
relation to ‘Pournara’ centre, as deemed necessary.
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link to page 5
II. STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
General Principles
Identification and first reception procedures shal be carried out in the ‘Pournara’ centre. Al
third country nationals who enter the country without complying with the legal formalities
shal be submitted to reception and identification procedures.
Applicability of Standard Operating Procedures
The present procedures shal apply to al authorities and entities working within the ‘Pournara’
centre. This does not exclude the application of procedures described herein in other
contingency cases of migratory flow management outside ‘Pournara’ (particularly at arrival
points, in relation to the provision of information, commencement of TCN identification, etc.).
Administrative Structure of ‘Pournara’ centre
The smooth operation of the centre shal be supervised by the Asylum Service central y. It shal
be headed by a manager who coordinates, provides guidance and monitors the work of the
staff employed in ‘Pournara’ and ensures the proper functioning of the centre in cooperation
with al other competent national authorities and bodies. On the basis of single authorisations
issued by the Asylum Service, other entities, including non-governmental organisations, may
have the rights to access for the provision of specific, upon request services and activities,
without adversely affecting the operation of the centre.
PROCEDURE
ACTORS
0. For mass arrivals such as arrivals by boats, existing national protocols apply (i.e. ‘Nafkratis’
plan) at the point of disembarkation/ arrival prior to the transfer at ‘Pournara’ centre. In
case of individuals, they are transferred directly to ‘Pournara’ centre.
1. Transfer to ‘Pournara’ centre (procedure and details in annex I) 1
a. TCNs presenting at Immigration Police branches across Cyprus
CAS
b. Arrivals by boat
CAS
c. Apprehensions across Cyprus
CAS
2. Upon arrival at ‘Pournara’ centre of those migrants entering Cyprus il egal y – at waiting
area outside the centre
a. Check of belongings and documents/ body checks according to the
Police
relevant Police directives
[notably to ensure evidence col ection and
safety]
b. Initial Medical check – based on usual visual indicators and MoH, CAS
identification of vulnerable TCNs
c. First general information regarding the procedure taking place at
CAS, IOM AVRR project
‘Pournara’, rules during stay, provision of information on asylum
representative/ CRMD
procedure and voluntary return option
(orally and with leaflets).
1 N.B.: During the COVID-19 pandemic, to protect the safety and security of the persons working or staying in
‘Pournara’, migrants having entered Cyprus irregularly
(e.g. by sea) will first be transferred to an isolated
quarantine site to undergo a 15-day quarantine period before being transferred to the ‘Pournara’ centre.
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3. Screening, Registration and Identification Procedure
Screening procedure is to support the identification of the nationalities of migrants, thus facilitating
the returns as wel as the referral of those who need protection. Each migrant for whom the country
of origin cannot be proved or it is doubtful, is subject to the screening process to establish his
nationality or ethnic origin by examining language, dialect, knowledge on his place of origin,
behaviour, anthropologic profile and cultural aspects. The screeners could also collect some brief
highlight information about the main departure areas, nationality and ethnicity pattern, age, gender
pattern, religion and modi operandi.
Advanced Level Document Experts (ALDO) are deployed and
integrated within the screening teams, to enhance checks of the travel documents of irregular
migrants. An essential part of the screening process also involves identifying potential y dangerous
individuals who could pose a threat to European security on the basis of various risk indicators.
a. Recording of TCN data and document checks (if Police, Frontex, Europol
documented),including an initial sift of incoming migrants on the
basis of key risk indicators.
b. Fingerprinting and photo recording
Police, Frontex
c. Encoding outcome of 3a and 3b in CRMD IT database
Police/ CRMD
d. Registration and issuance of ARC
CRMD
e. Checks against national databases, Interpol and Eurodac databases Police
f. Debriefing which is done voluntarily and anonymously
Police, Frontex
Subjects debriefed by Frontex and having any indication of any
involvement in serious organized crime or terrorism, need to be
clearly referred to the CY authorities for additional SSCs in
coordination with Europol GOs. The debriefing aims at improving
intelligence capacity
(including personal data) of Frontex to better
focus its activities; supporting Member States’ authorities in
criminal investigations; obtaining information from detected
persons entered illegally to produce intel igence concerning country
of origin, reasons for traveling, modus operandi, routes,
involvement of facilitators, information channeled to national
authorities. The interviews are conducted by the JDT which consist
of CY Police officer, Frontex TM and interpreter. The key elements
for a successful interview is the privacy and the confidence
established between the experts and the migrant; thus the
interviews are to be conducted without the presence of any other
person. Europol wil be notified by the police in case there is need
for secondary security checks.
4. Law Enforcement Control
a. Secondary security checks (subjects selected based on risk
Police, Europol
indicators)
b. Possible development of further investigative actions when
Police, Europol
required by the national CY authorities
5. Medical Screening
a. Initial medical screening and assessment – which can be completed MoH
within the day and at the centre
b. Identification of vulnerable persons
CAS, MoH, SWS
c. Psychosocial support
MoH
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6. Shelter Al ocation in ‘Pournara’
a. Shelter Allocation in ‘Pournara’, including in safe zone, infectious CAS, SWS, EASO
disease zone etc.
b. Referral of vulnerable cases, including as concluded from previous SWS, CAS, EASO
steps
c. Provision of NFIs
CAS
7. Conclusion of medical tests and assessment
a. E.g. mado test etc.
MoH
8. Channel ing to asylum or return procedures
a. Expression of will for asylum application
CAS, EASO
b. Initiation of return process with the issuance of a return decision,
CRMD, Police, IOM
AVRR/ Forced returns
(once forced return process is initiated
transfer to pre-detention facilities or application of alternative to
detention measures), encoding to a Return Case Management
System.
9. Asylum Procedure
a. International Protection Application
(provision of information incl. CAS, EASO, Aliens &
the basic rights and obligations of the person; registration/lodging) Immigration Police
b. Vulnerability screening, in the context of the asylum procedure
CAS, SWS, EASO
(screening vulnerability form) and real ocation of shelter accordingly
if needed.
c. Col ection of applicants’ documents, including those kept by the
Police as per point 2a, Dublin Questionnaire. CAS col ects any
CAS, EASO
documents an applicant possesses for the purpose of verification of
his and his family identity, country of origin and family situation.
Applicants obtain a receipt. Passport of applicants are kept by CAS.
d.
• Creation of a file/F number in CAS IT database;
CAS
(coordination),
• Issuance of a confirmation letter
EASO,
Aliens &
Immigration Police
e. Archiving of the files
CAS
g. Scheduling of appointment for 1st instance asylum interview.
CAS
10. Reception Process for Asylum Seekers
a. Shelter al ocation outside ‘Pournara’
CAS and SWS
b. Provision of NFIs and timely provision of advances, coupons as
SWS
relevant
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Document Outline