E.A. v International Protection Appeals Tribunal & Anor (Approved)

                  This short judgment is concerned with an application made by the applicant seeking to amend the statement of grounds in these judicial review proceedings. That application was opposed by the current respondents. As the underlying proceedings are concerned with matters relating to the International Protection Act 2015, the identity of the applicant has been anonymised.

                  The court in this application is not adjudicating on the substance of the full application for judicial review, but it is necessary to rehearse the general nature of the claim to understand this application. For the reasons explained briefly below I have been satisfied that the application to amend should be allowed.

                  Following an adverse ruling at first instance the applicant appealed to the IPAT in August 2023 and the initial adverse ruling was affirmed by the IPAT on the 18 December 2023. While the overall case is argued in more detail in the pleadings, the gravamen of the case as currently formulated is that the IPAT assessment of the credibility of her claims was flawed to the extent that the court should quash that decision and remit the matter for a fresh hearing.

" A declaration that the exclusion of an applicant for asylum, such as the Applicant in this case, from being identified as a victim of trafficking because she is in the asylum system is unlawful and contrary to the requirements of Directive 2011/36/EU and/or Article 4 ECHR. "

                  The new grounds are as follows: