Our History
March 2016
The EU-Turkey Statement leaves thousands of new arrivals to the Greek islands stranded as they await their first-instance asylum interview. There is only one state-appointed asylum lawyer on Lesvos.
June 2016
European Lawyers in Lesvos is founded by the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) and the German Bar Association (DAV). The CCBE represents the bars and law societies of 32 member countries and 13 further associate and observer countries across Europe - more than 1 million European lawyers.
July 2016
A Memorandum of Understanding between the CCBE, the DAV and the Alternate Minister of Interior and Administrative Reconstruction, competent for Migration Policy, is signed. The document guarantees ELIL access to Moria camp.
October 2017
European Lawyers in Lesvos gGmbH is incorporated in Germany as an independent, charitable non-profit organisation.
2018
ELIL is registered in Greece. Professor Vassilios Skouris, eminent Greek judge and former President of the European Court of Justice, joins as chair of the Supervisory Board.
May 2019
ELIL reluctantly suspends its operations due to funding constraints.
August 2019
ELIL operations resume thanks to the support of volunteers and supporters. The number of sea arrivals to Lesvos spikes dramatically.
December 2019
ELIL operations are expanded to Kara Tepe, a refugee camp on Lesvos for vulnerable asylum seekers managed by UNHCR.
December 2019
The Conseil National des Barreaux (CNB), or French Bar Association, joins as an ELIL stakeholder.
January 2020
A new asylum law comes into force in Greece. This law emphasises speed, erodes legal safeguards and focuses on increasing returns of people to Turkey.
March 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic and consequent lock-down measures put in-person interviews on hold. ELIL continues to provide remote legal assistance.
June 2020
ELIL expands its operations to the island of Samos, where there are fewer than ten lawyers to assist almost 7,000 asylum seekers.
September 2020
A fire ravages Moria and displaces its 13,000 residents, who are moved to a new camp. ELIL joins other legal organisations advocacy regarding access to legal assistance in the new facility.
October 2020
ELIL wins several prestigious awards: the PILnet Pro Bono Publico Award, the Financial Times and Legal Week Social Innovation Awards, and the UIA/LexisNexis Rule of Law Award.
May 2021
ELIL opens an additional office in Athens, to support asylum-seekers on the mainland.
May 2022
ELIL opens a new office in Thessaloniki.
August 2022 ELIL launches its Poland Project to assist refugees fleeing Ukraine.
February 2023 ELIL launches a new project at the Poland-Belarus border assisting people to navigate the asylum process.
June 2024
In June 2024 due to the growing needs on the island, we are officially restarted our in-person and full-time operations on Samos. We currently have one lawyer stationed at the Alpha Centre of Samos Volunteers.