UNHCR tells Europe not to downgrade asylum policies

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres on Thursday called on European Union countries to resist whittling down asylum rights as they applied a EU directive on refugees.
"We appeal to the countries now, when translating the directive into national policies, not to undermine the asylum situation," said Guterres said at a news conference.
UNHCR claims that a EU "Asylum Procedures Directive", which sets minimum standards concerning decisions on asylum claims in EU member states, could actually make it harder for refugees to be granted asylum.