I am pleased to present the Annual Report of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal for the year 2020.

The Tribunal had looked forward to building on the Tribunal’s successful increase of efficiencies in 2020, both with regard to the volume of appeals processed and with improvements in appeal processing times. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the year turned out to present significant challenges for all of society, affecting our customers and staff and members of the Tribunal alike.

The Tribunal, as a quasi-judicial body, delivering an essential service in accordance with fairness and natural justice, was able to configure its operations through innovative measures including the conversion of hearing rooms for the conduct of on-site hearings, the use of electronic signatures for Tribunal decisions and, from the last quarter of the year onwards, the introduction of audio-video hearings.

I am most grateful to the Tribunal Registrar, Pat Murray, and his team in the Tribunal administration, as well as to my Deputy Chairpersons Cindy Carroll and John Stanley and to the Members of the Tribunal who have all shown the strongest commitment to ensuring that we were able to deliver on the mission of the Tribunal throughout the year to the largest extent possible.

While the year ahead will continue to be impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, we look forward to playing our part in the ongoing work regarding the implementation of the recommendations from the Advisory Group on the Provision of Support including Accommodation to Persons in the International Protection Process, and to completing our own work on defining and implementing the Tribunal’s new Strategy Statement for the years 2021-2023. Our focus will be on ensuring access to the Tribunal as an effective remedy and treating all applicants with respect for their rights and dignity. We will also be placing a particular focus on digital transformation as a key driver of change and contributing to a sustainable and agile system for international protection.

Hilkka Becker
Chairperson

The 2020 International Protection Appeals Tribunal Annual Report can viewed here.