It was in 1999 that the Member States of the European Union decided to lay the foundations for a European asylum policy. While legislative action has been important, the goals set 20 years ago have not all been achieved. While the "refugee crisis" has given priority to the "policy of controlling migratory flows" to the detriment of the right of asylum, we can question the capacity of States to build a European area of protection perceived and lived as such by refugees and stakeholders (Paper in French).