Iraqi diaspora in Europe

Over a period of decades significant numbers of displaced persons have fled Iraq as refugees. This intensified after the 2006 al-Askari mosque bombing in the city of Samarra. In 2003 as a result of the Iraq War the UNHCR adopted the position that every asylum-seeker from the central and southern regions of Iraq should be granted refugee status.{{cite news|title=UNHCR calls for refugee status for Iraqis fleeing Southern and Central Iraq|url=http://www.unhcr.no/en/News/Iraq_refugees_asylum.html|access-date=8 April 2011|newspaper=UNHCR|date=9 January 2007|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913133026/http://www.unhcr.no/en/News/Iraq_refugees_asylum.html|archive-date=13 September 2012|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=Fortress Europe and the Iraqi 'intruders': Iraqi asylum-seekers and the EU, 2003-2007 | year=2007 |url=https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/627732?ln=en| last1=Sperl | first1=Markus }}

By 2008, the continuous violence in Iraq had displaced a total of 4.7 million people: 2.7 million were internally displaced persons (IDPs), and the remaining 2 million fled the country in search of refuge. Iraqis became the third largest refugee population after the Afghans and the Palestinians. According to some estimates, over 15 per cent of Iraq's population had been displaced.{{rp|1}}

Many European countries did not follow UNHCR's 2003 guidelines and argued that the post-war situation in these areas of Iraq was not enough for qualifying Iraqis as refugees. These discrepancies about the violence in Iraq—which had important political connotations, especially for those countries that participated in the invasion—and whether Iraqis should be eligible for protection enabled some countries not only to reject asylum applications, but also to repatriate asylum-seekers back to Iraq.{{rp|107–110}} The UNHCR repeatedly condemned the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands and Norway, among other European countries, for forcibly repatriating Iraqis when the situation back in their homeland is still not safe for them. UNHCR's spokesman in Geneva, Adrian Edwards, said in September 2010 that "[w]e strongly urge European governments to provide Iraqis with protection until the situation in their areas of origin in Iraq allows for safe and voluntary returns. In this critical time of transition, we also encourage all efforts to develop conditions in Iraq that are conducive to sustainable and voluntary return".{{cite news|title=UNHCR concerned at continuing deportations of Iraqis from Europe |url=http://www.unhcr.org/4c80ebd39.html|access-date=25 March 2011|publisher=UNHCR|date=3 September 2010}}

The EU does not have a unified system towards asylum-seekers. In 2000 Brussels announced the establishment of a Common European Asylum System that, however, has not been fully applied. A UNHCR research paper, "Fortress Europe and the Iraqi 'intruders': Iraqi asylum-seekers and the EU, 2003–2007," points out that the only commonality among EU countries lies on their efforts for preventing refugees from reaching their territory in the first place. First, the EU does not accept the 'S' series passport—the most common one in Iraq—, but require the 'G' series one, which are only issued in one office situated in Baghdad. Second, if the valid series of passport is obtained, the step is obtaining a visa, a process that is "virtually impossible".{{cite web|last=Sperl|first=Markus|title=Fortress Europe and the Iraqi 'intruders': Iraqi asylum-seekers and the EU, 2003-2007|url=http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4c2472ea0.html|work=Research Paper No.144|publisher=UNHCR|date=1 October 2007|access-date=23 April 2011}} Third neither coalition troops based in Iraq nor embassies in Iraq accept petitions for asylum. Therefore, Iraqis who want to reach Europe are left with two options. They can either access the UN resettlement program by arriving to Damascus or Amman and wait indefinitely for being resettled; or they can try to reach Europe illegally. The majority of Iraqis that enter the EU illegally do so through Greece, either by land crossing the Greco-Turkish border, or by reaching one of the numerous Greek islands by sea. Once in Greece, the majority travels to northern European countries and applies for refugee status from there. The estimated cost of this second and illegal option is around $10,000, an expensive alternative that only those with financial means can afford. In addition to the UNHCR, the European Council on Refugees and Exiles along with human rights groups have denounced the EU's strict policies, which force many Iraqis to undertake long, dangerous and expensive journeys in order to find refuge in Europe.{{cite web|title=Five years on Europe is still ignoring its responsibilities towards Iraqi refugees|url=http://www.ecre.org/files/ECRE_Survey_Iraq_2008.pdf|publisher=European Council on Refugees and Exiles, 1 March 2008|access-date=23 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325225628/http://www.ecre.org/files/ECRE_Survey_Iraq_2008.pdf|archive-date=25 March 2009|url-status=dead}} These tough policies executed by the EU result in a small number of asylum petitions: out of the many hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who sought resettlement in third countries from 2003 to 2007, only 60,000 had applied for asylum in the EU.

The total Austrian population of Iraqi refugees is around 10,897{{Cite web |url=http://medienservicestelle.at/migration_bewegt/2014/04/29/irakische-community-von-vielfalt-gepraegt |title=Irakische Community von Vielfalt geprägt |access-date=2014-08-05 |archive-date=2018-08-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180825220933/http://medienservicestelle.at/migration_bewegt/2014/04/29/irakische-community-von-vielfalt-gepraegt/ |url-status=dead }}

The total Belgium population of Iraqi refugees is around 13,000.

The total Bulgarian population of Iraqi refugees is around 1,200.

===Denmark===

{{main|Iraqis in Denmark}}

Denmark has been a strong host nation to Iraqi refugees, where there are approximately 12,000. Kurdish Iraqis are one of the largest Iraqi ethnic groups living in Denmark. This is partially due to the large number of Kurds who have emigrated from northern Iraq.

===Finland===

{{main|Iraqis in Finland}}

The number of Iraqis in Finland is 32,778, which is the fourth largest in Europe, after Sweden, Germany and the UK.{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/development/desa/publications/international-migration-report-2017.html|title = The International Migration Report 2017 (Highlights) | Multimedia Library - United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs|date = 18 December 2017}}

The current population of Iraqis in France is estimated at 8,200.[http://www.accessmylibrary.com/comsite5/bin/pdinventory.pl?pdlanding=1&referid=2930&purchase_type=ITM&item_id=0286-6946156 FRANCE AND BRITAIN KEEPING IRAQI REFUGEES OUT]

Some reports claim that there are 1,300 Iraqi refugees living in France.

{{main|Iraqis in Germany}}

The number of Iraqis in Germany is estimated at 150,000.{{cite web|title=Population pressures|url=http://www.ecre.org/positions/Iraq_Quest_Summary_Apr04.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807230323/http://www.ecre.org/positions/Iraq_Quest_Summary_Apr04.shtml|archive-date=2007-08-07|access-date=2007-08-19|publisher=ecre.org}} In 2006, out of 2,727 asylum applications for Iraqi refugees, only 8.3 percent were accepted.[http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,507444,00.html The Iraqi Exodus:Number of Iraqi refugees in Germany Surges] Some sources claim there to be just around 40,000 Iraqi refugees residing in Germany.{{Cite web |url=http://www.peopleandplanet.net/doc.php?id=1933 |title=Iraqi refugees in European nations |access-date=2008-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927212544/http://www.peopleandplanet.net/doc.php?id=1933 |archive-date=2007-09-27 |url-status=dead }} In 2006, Germany granted just 8.3 percent of Iraqi asylum demands, according to the ministry.[http://www.haveeru1.com.mv/english/?page=details&id=18230 Refugees find Germany "1000 times better than Iraq"]{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In 2006, Germany received 2,117 applications for asylum from Iraqis, which is the third highest number in the EU. The country is already home to a sizeable Iraqi population, many of whom were granted protection by the German authorities after fleeing persecution from Saddam Hussein's former regime. However, the recognition rate for Iraqis has fallen from an average of 57 per cent between 1997 and 2001, to a mere 11 per cent for the year 2006, which is one of the lowest in the European Union.

However, Germany has adopted another policy towards Iraqi refugees which has distinguished it from all other EU states, the German Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community has taken the unique step of systematically revoking the refugee status of thousands of Iraqis who were granted protection before 2003. Since the threat of persecution from the Iraqi Ba'ath regime is no longer present, 18,000 Iraqi refugees who entered the country before the 2003 invasion have thus had their refugee status revoked, placing them in a situation of uncertainty and precariousness. In June 2007, the German government asked the asylum authorities to temporarily suspend the revocation of refugee status for certain groups of Iraqis such as those from Baghdad, single women, and members of religious minorities such as Christians.

It was estimated in April 2007 that 14,000 Iraqis were living with 'tolerated status' in Germany, with the threat of possible imminent deportation hanging over them.

{{main|Iraqis in Greece}}

Greece is the most common entry point into the EU for Iraqis. A large proportion enter the country after a treacherous journey across the quasi-border separating Central and Southern Iraq from the northern regions, from where they cross the mountains into Turkey. Thereafter, they continue along the same routes as thousands of illegal migrants, arriving at one of the Greek islands by speedboat or crossing the Greek–Turkish land border. From Greece, Iraqis generally travel on before making an asylum claim, either to the northern European countries, or to Madrid, Spain from where the USA or Latin America can be reached.

Approximately 1,200 Iraqi refugees have immigrated to Hungary.

Sources claim there to be 340 Iraqi refugees living in Ireland.

The current population of Iraqis in Italy stands at 6,043 according to ISTAT, representing an increase compared to 2016, when they were around the half of the current population.;{{cite web |url=https://www.tuttitalia.it/statistiche/cittadini-stranieri/iraq/ |title=Numero di cittadini iracheni in Italia al 2022|access-date=2023-04-04|publisher=tuttitalia.it}} however one source claims there to be 1,068, which is approximately 50 families. Most of these are priests, nuns and seminarians who have come to pursue their studies in Italy.{{cite web |url=http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=2446&dos=35&size=A |title="Asia News" states that there are 1,068 ethnic Iraqis living in Italy |access-date=2007-09-07 |publisher=asianews.it}} The majority are residents of Rome.

There have been recent appeals from the Iraqi community living in Italy to free any Italian and Iraqi Italian residents currently working in Iraq.{{Cite web |url=http://www.unponteper.it/documenti/stampasimona/appelli_appeals/English/Iraqi_Community_in_Italy.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2008-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008164106/http://www.unponteper.it/documenti/stampasimona/appelli_appeals/English/Iraqi_Community_in_Italy.htm |archive-date=2007-10-08 |url-status=dead }}

In November 2007, 800 Iraqi Kurds sought refugee in Italy, of which only 20 of them applied for asylum and the other received 15-day expulsion orders.{{Cite web |url=http://migration.ucdavis.edu/MN/more.php?id=1401_0_4_0 |title=Migration News - Migration Dialogue |access-date=2008-02-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070922202105/http://migration.ucdavis.edu/mn/more.php?id=1401_0_4_0 |archive-date=2007-09-22 |url-status=dead }}

{{main|Iraqis in Norway}}

{{main|Iraqis in the Netherlands}}

===Romania===

As of 2019, there are at least 3.000 Iraqi-born people living in Romania.{{Cite web|url=https://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/data-hub/charts/immigrant-and-emigrant-populations-country-origin-and-destination|title=Immigrant and Emigrant Populations by Country of Origin and Destination|date=10 February 2014}}

{{see also|Iraqi diaspora#Russia}}

Significant groups of Iraqis have emigrated to Russia as early as the 1990s.{{cite journal|journal=Refugee Magazine|issue=98|title=Chilly reception for refugees in Russia|last=Cienski|first=Jan|year=1994|url=http://www.unhcr.org/publ/PUBL/3b54109e4.html|publisher=United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees}} Iran credits Russia with being one of the first countries to provide concrete assistance in processing Iraqi refugees; Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry began preparing two sites for refugee camps in western Iran in April 2003.{{cite news|work=Pravda|title=Russia Agreed First to Receive Iraqi Refugees|url=http://english.pravda.ru/hotspots/conflicts/01-04-2003/2224-refugees-0|date=2003-04-01|access-date=2007-12-13}} However, Iraqis admitted to Russia often find themselves the targets of racism; as with Afghan refugees, they are mistaken for migrants from the Caucasus, who are stereotyped in Russia as drug dealers and criminals.

The current population of Iraqis in Spain is unknown; however, since the Iraq War, Spain has been host to 45 Iraqi refugees. An additional 42 Iraqis requested asylum in 2006.[http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/iraq?page=news&id=461e5a644 UNHCR | Iraq] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081129021325/http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/iraq?page=news&id=461e5a644 |date=2008-11-29 }} There are roughly about 3,700 asylum seekers in Spain, and a further 642 Iraqis hold residency permits.[http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/iraq?page=news&id=4576ef034 UNHCR | Iraq]

Iraqi immigration to Spain accounted for 1,706 permanent residents in the year 2006.

{{main|Iraqis in Sweden}}

The current population of Iraqis in Switzerland is estimated to be around 5,000. However, the Swiss government is currently{{when|date=September 2022}} closing doors to future Iraqi refugees, and offering to send external aid instead. Christoph Blocher, the Swiss Justice and Police Minister, stated that "We already have 5,000 Iraqis in Switzerland and our country is in second place in Europe in accepting them".[http://english.people.com.cn/200705/18/eng20070518_375710.html People's Daily Online - Switzerland decides against more refugees from Iraq][https://web.archive.org/web/20070613111850/http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home/opendoc.pdf?tbl=SUBSITES&id=461f7cb92 Report on Displaced Iraqis]

{{main|Iraqis in the United Kingdom}}

The UK—a country that not only had historically hosted a large number of Iraqi refugees but one that had also participated in the invasion of Iraq—granted refugee status or complementary protection to only 8.7 percent of the Iraqi asylum-seekers in 2005, a significant decrease if considered that from 1997 to 2001 that rate averaged 44 percent.{{rp|107}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110722040046/http://www.italyforiraq.it/en/ Italy for Iraq]

{{Iraqi diaspora}}

Category:Arab diaspora in Europe