A review and critique of the updated Country Policy and Information Note (CPIN) on human trafficking in Albania which was published in February 2023.

The government’s new guidance on trafficking in Albania that was published in December 2022, unlike its predecessor, newly asserted that asylum claims by trafficked men and boys are likely to be certifiable as “clearly unfounded” under section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. David Neale of Garden Court Chambers carefully reviewed the evidence referenced in the CPIN and related Fact Finding Mission, and found this claim to be wrong and unsupported by the remainder of the CPIN, finishing with recommendations for lawyers preparing such cases.

The CPIN was updated by the Home Office in February 2023 with some additional information addressing the support available in Albania for victims of trafficking. David Neale has critiqued this updated version in an addendum to his original review. He concludes that “trafficked boys and men who exhibit some or all of the TD and AD risk factors are likely to be at risk of re-trafficking in Albania, and will not be adequately protected by the Albanian state. Claims by trafficked men and boys are not suitable for certification as clearly unfounded.”

These papers are crucial reading for any lawyers representing Albanian boys and young men.

Click here to view the main review of the December 2022 CPIN. 

Click here to view the addendum review of the February 2023 update to the December 2022 CPIN.