1 INTRODUCTION There are estimated to be over 600,000 stateless people living in Europe today. A relatively small minority has arrived within mixed migration flows, and were either stateless prior to departure from their country of origin or have since become stateless. Despite near universal ratification of relevant international instruments such as the 1954 Statelessness Convention (which provide a set of rights for stateless persons), the hitherto slow-paced development and implementation of effective identification and protection mechanisms for stateless migrants means that they are among the most vulnerable people in Europe. They often face years of uncertainty, destitution and repeated, lengthy immigration detention. Yet the solution is relatively simple, and can be achieved by the establishment of dedicated determination procedures that are fair, efficient and easily accessible. This enables states to identify and regularise stateless persons on their territory, thereby both fulfilling their obligations under relevant international treaties and providing a sustainable policy solution for individuals who cannot be removed. For example, the UK recently took this step but remains one of only eight European countries which have these systems in place. ENS has published a Good Practice Guide on Statelessness Determination and the Protection Status of Stateless Persons (available at www.statelessness.eu) which is intended as a tool to assist states considering the introduction of a procedure or the improvement of an existing one. A stateless person is someone who has no nationality. They are not Japanese, not Cuban, not Danish, not Ugandan – they do not enjoy the legal bond of nationality with any state. International law defines a stateless person as someone “who is not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law” (Article 1 of the 1954 Statelessness Convention). Imagine what life would be like if you did not have a passport and were not considered to belong anywhere. Stateless people face numerous difficulties in their daily lives: they face often insurmountable barriers accessing health care, education, employment opportunities, property rights and the ability to move freely in Europe. It may be impossible for them to get married, open a bank account or get a driving licence – many of the things that most European citizens take for granted.