transfers were implemented.517 Although Sweden continues to submit requests for Dublin transfers to Greece (347 in 2024), it does not transfer applicants to Greece unless individual guarantees have been obtained by Greek authorities. As this is very rare, in practice Sweden does not transfer asylum applicants to Greece.518 Switzerland has issued several Dublin decisions to Greece in 2024, all concerns healthy men who were Turkish nationals, for which the Greek authorities issued ‘guarantees’. However, a decision by the Federal Administrative Court is pending following appeals.519 Germany sent 15,453 Dublin transfer requests to Greece in 2024, making for. 20% of Germany’s outgoing requests. Nevertheless, only 22 transfers were actually carried out. Courts had contrasted opinions as to the feasibility of transfers given the conditions in Greece, with some halting the transfers but others approving them. 520 Dublin returnees face serious difficulties both in re-accessing the asylum procedure and reception conditions (which are virtually inexistent) upon return. 521 In fact, returnees face the risk of being subjected to onward refoulement to Türkiye, following the designation of Türkiye as a safe third country in 2021 (see Safe third country concept). Finally, it should be mentioned that applicants who are subject to the EU-Türkiye statement and left the islands in breach of the geographical restriction imposed on them, will be returned to said island upon return to Greece from another Member State within the framework of the Dublin Regulation, by virtue of a 2016 police circular.522 Their application will be examined under the fast-track border procedure, which offers limited guarantees.523 For further information about the situation of beneficiaries of international protection returned to Greece, see ‘Return of beneficiaries of international protection to Greece’ under Housing. 3. Admissibility procedure 3.1. General (scope, criteria, time limits) Under Article 89 Asylum Code, an application can be considered inadmissible on the following grounds: ❖ Another EU Member State has granted international protection status to the applicant; ❖ Another EU Member State has accepted responsibility under the Dublin Regulation for the applicant; ❖ When the First Country of Asylum concept is applied; ❖ When the Safe Third Country concept is applied; ❖ The application is a Subsequent Application and no “new essential elements” have been presented; ❖ A family member has submitted a separate application to the family application without justification for lodging a separate claim. Unless otherwise provided, the Asylum Service must decide on the admissibility of an application within 30 days.524 517 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 AIDA, Country report: Ireland – Update on the year 2024, May 2025, available here. AIDA, Country report: Sweden – Update on the year 2024, May 2025, available here, 51. AIDA, Country report: Switzerland – Update on the year 2024, May 2025, available here, 47 and 51. AIDA, Country report: Germany – Update on the year 2024, June 2025, available here, 77. RSA, Dublin returns to Greece, 21 October 2021, available at: https://bit.ly/3tHwi7T: ‘At the moment, the Greek reception system is undergoing a gradual transformation through the dismantling of open housing facilities in favour of large-scale ‘closed controlled centres’, while a coherent policy to support integration of people granted international protection is still lacking. Despite these circumstances, EU Member States and Schengen Associated Countries continue to send thousands of Dublin take back requests to return asylum seekers to Greece. In line with a Recommendation521 from the European Commission, Dublin transfers to Greece are carried out following the provision of individual assurances by the Greek Dublin Unit relating to the treatment of returnees in line with the EU asylum acquis.’ Police Circular No 1604/16/1195968, available in Greek at: https://tinyurl.com/ye85mfbc. See to this regard: RSA/PRO ASYLl, Legal Status and Living Conditions of a Syrian asylum-seeker upon his return to Greece under the Dublin Regulation, December 2019, available at: https://bit.ly/3fMEfzH. Article 88(2) Asylum Code. Different deadlines are provided, e.g, for subsequent applications; when the safe third country concept is examined under the fast-track border procedure, etc. 111