Since April 2021, the Ministry of Migration and Asylum and UNHCR, in collaboration with IOM and the NGOs Arsis, METAdrasi and the Network for Children’s Rights, launched a mechanism to rapidly identify unaccompanied children who are homeless or live in insecure conditions and transfer them to safe accommodation. The National Emergency Response Mechanism (NERM), which in accordance with L. 4939/2022,750 is part of the General Secretariat for Vulnerable Persons and Institutional Protection, and includes a telephone hotline available Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 22:00 and Saturday from 11:00 to 19:00 (multiple languages available) for identifying and tracing children in need, 751 and Info Desks / Mobile Units in Athens and Thessaloniki, together with emergency accommodation facilities. It is, therefore, considered an integral part of UASCs protection in Greece. 752 According to GCR’s observations, the new mechanism is very responsive to requests addressed both by NGOs and by UAMs themselves. According to the General Secretariat for Vulnerable Persons and Institutional Protection since the beginning of NERMs operation in 2021 until 31 August 2024, the NERM received 9,121 referrals of homeless unaccompanied children (UAC) and those in precarious living conditions from local authorities, citizens, and the children themselves. From its operationalisation until the end of 2023, 4,437 children were placed in age-appropriate accommodation.753 According to MoMA’s answer in Parliament,754 the Secretariat plans to expand NERM’s competence beyond UASCs, offering also support to vulnerable persons who are homeless or at risk -an already long-awaited development given the lack of state social support services even for the local population. According to the latest information published, by the General Secreteriat, since 2021 and until the end of December 2025, the Mechanism received 16,763 calls, which concern 11,598 different cases of (UAMs), out of which 8,979 concern accommodation requests, 1,159 legal aid, and 1,060 other types of assistance. Since 2 March 2022, the line has received referrals for 4 unaccompanied*755,10 orphans (with escorts) directly from an orphanage of Ukraine and 591 separated minors from Ukraine. 756 E. Subsequent applications Indicators: Subsequent Applications 1. Does the law provide for a specific procedure for subsequent applications? Yes No 2. Is a removal order suspended during the examination of a first subsequent application? ❖ At first instance Yes No ❖ At the appeal stage Yes No In some cases 3. Is a removal order suspended during the examination of a second, third, subsequent application? ❖ At first instance Yes No ❖ At the appeal stage Yes No A “subsequent application” is an application for international protection submitted after a final decision has been taken on a previous application for international protection, including in cases where the 750 751 752 753 754 755 756 Article 66ΛΓ. Ministry of Migration and Asylum, Σε λειτουργία ο εθνικός μηχανισμός για τον εντοπισμό και την προστασία ασυνόδευτων παιδιών σε επισφαλείς συνθήκες, 6 April 2021, available in Greek here. Ministry of Migration and Asylum, Special Secretariat for the Protection of UAMs, National Emergency Response Mechanism. A safety net for unaccompanied children identified in precarious living conditions, November 2022, available here. See more at Greece: National Emergency Response Mechanism (see here) and project’s annual report of 2023 here. See relative answer of deputy Minister Mrs Voultepsi, March 2024, available in Greek here. According to the announcement there there are cases of unaccompanied minors whose status changes from unaccompanied to separated and later on to adulthood. General Secretariat for Vulnerable Persons & Institutional Protection Situation Update: Unaccompanied Minors (UAM) in Greece Reference Date: 01.01.2026 https://tinyurl.com/p8bevuys 167