Africa: UNHCR Urges Highest Asylum Standards as EU Directive Takes Effect

As EU-wide minimum standards for granting refugee status take effect, the UN refugee agency urged member states Monday to live up to their legal and moral obligation to protect refugees and asylum seekers by maintaining the highest possible asylum standards.By 10 October 2006, EU countries are required to have implemented the so-called "Qualification Directive," which sets out mimimum standards for qualification for refugee status or other forms of international protection in the European Union.