Cedoca

Cedoca is the Country of Origin Information (COI) research unit of the CGRS. Its staff of specialised researchers collect and analyse information on the countries of origin of applicants for international protection and produce COI reports in accordance with the Common EU Guidelines for Processing Country of Origin Information (COI) (2008) and Cedoca’s own internal methodology on source and information analysis.

Role and mandate

Cedoca provides reliable, objective, transparent and up-to-date information on countries of origin in order to assist protection officers (POs) in their decision-making.

It organises this information and oversees its dissemination to end-users.

Cedoca is also responsible for training POs on countries of origin.

Cedoca responds in a timely and qualitative manner to information needs, mainly from CGRS POs.

At the request of CGRS' legal department, Cedoca is required to present, often at short notice, detailed or updated information with a view to defending CGRS decisions appealed before the Council of Alien Law Litigation.

Upon request and following written authorisation, Cedoca can also provide information to, among others, the Immigration Office, the Guardianship department and the offices of the public prosecutor.

Cedoca liaises with national and international partners, particularly in the context of identity document verification, visa verification and fingerprint comparison.

Organisation and staff

Cedoca has a staff of more than 40, which includes some thirty researchers as well as an administrative team with research assistants.

Researchers are specialised by country.

A number of researchers make up Cedoca's New Media Unit (NMU). They are specifically trained in new media and specialise in collecting Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) and researching on social networks.

In addition to information available on the Internet, researchers draw on an extensive network of national and international contacts to conduct their work. Cedoca also engages with European sister organisations and the European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA). In addition, Cedoca conducts fact-finding missions (FFMs) in a number of countries of origin.µ

International cooperation

Cedoca is one of the largest and most specialised COI units in Europe.

Cedoca plays an important role in COI cooperation and harmonisation at the European level, in particular with the EUAA. At the wider international level, Cedoca is part of the COI network of the Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees (IGC).

Cedoca actively participates in workshops and other international projects such as joint FFMs with other European COI departments and drafting international reports.

Products and services

Research findings that are to be used in an asylum case are presented in any of the following COI products:

  • The COI Case, which contains relevant information on a single case;
  • The COI Focus, which addresses a topic that is potentially relevant to more than one case;
  • The NMU Q&A, which contains information obtained from OSINT and social media research that is relevant to a single case.

Cedoca provides POs with online up-to-date training on countries of origin and other tutorials. Its researchers write periodic information bulletins (newsletters) and blogs to keep POs informed on the situation in the countries of origin.

Cedoca places all information relating to countries of origin on InSite, the CGRS intranet. Information is grouped by country and subdivided by theme.

Books as well as maps and other non-digital materials relating to countries of origin are available in a library accessible to CGRS staff.

COI Focuses on selected countries and topics – such as the security situation, gender issues, return to the country of origin or the general situation – are published on the CGRS website (www.cgrs.be).

Researchers regularly consult POs to identify and respond to their COI needs. They host country or thematic briefings and trainings for POs and regularly invite experts to give presentations.

Cedoca also handles requests for information from third countries under the Dublin Regulation (Eurodac hits, fingerprint comparison), queries relating to visa applications and verifications of identity documents.

Methodology

Cedoca follows the Common EU Guidelines for Processing Country of Origin Information (COI) of April 2008. These guidelines concern in particular the neutrality, objectivity and transparency of COI.

In order to ensure the uniform application of quality standards in its COI products, Cedoca has produced two internal methodology handbooks covering the rules and recommendations for drafting COI products and bibliographic referencing.

Cedoca abides by the principle of confidentiality of all applications for international protection submitted in Belgium.

Researchers scrupulously ensure that the applicant for protection, his or her family and any sources contacted are not put at risk in the course of research carried out by Cedoca.

From 12 June 2026, the CGRS will apply new EU rules for the asylum procedure, including mandatory recording of the personal interview, wider use of the accelerated procedure and revised rules on safe countries.

More information:
www.cgrs.be/en/changes-introduced-eu-asylum-and-migration-pact