EASO is an agency of the European Union set up by Regulation (EU) 439/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The agency:

• acts as a centre of expertise on asylum;
• contributes to the development of the Common European Asylum System by facilitating, coordinating and strengthening practical cooperation among Member States on the many aspects of asylum;
• helps Member States fulfill their European and international obligations to give protection to people in need;
• provides practical and technical support to Member States and the European Commission;
• provides operational support to Member States with specific needs and to Member States whose asylum and reception systems are under particular pressure;
• provides evidence-based input for EU policymaking and legislation in all areas having a direct or indirect impact on asylum.

In order to achieve its goals, EASO’s tasks include:

• providing country of origin information (COI) on key countries, relevant for the asylum decision‑makers in the field of asylum;
• providing the latest asylum trends data as well as in‑depth asylum data, an outlook with an analysis of asylum trends and push–pull factors, plus risk scenarios;
• developing and providing training in order to support the enhancement of quality and harmonisation in the area of asylum;
• contributing to the new ‘Hotspot’ approach;
• coordinating the relocation measures agreed at EU level;
• providing operational support by deploying EU+ countries’ experts in the form of asylum support teams (ASTs) or by providing other support as required;
• developing the use of operational tools including manuals, informational and practical tools, reporting templates and feedback system.

Please read the EASO brochure, and visit www.easo.europa.eu for more information.