The Odysseus Academic Network has been selected by the European Commission to undertake in 2006 a study on the implementation of directive 2003/9 of 27 January 2003 laying down minimum standards for the reception conditions of asylum seekers. The study focuses on legal aspects in order to find out precisely how Member States have transposed this directive into national law, but it covers also the practical aspects of reception conditions, including detention of asylum seekers. The Odysseus Academic Network collaborated closely with the UNHCR offices throughout Europe and benefited from contributions send by several NGOs or reception centres for asylum seekers located in many EU Member States. The aim of this congress in presence of all the experts who have prepared a national report for each of the 23 Member States bound by the directive, is to compare and analyse the information gathered in view of the synthesis report which will afterwards be delivered to the European Commission. The question of the impact of the directive will be addressed, in particular to find out if the risk of its minimum standards to provoke perverse effects lowering the level of reception conditions realised or not. Another objective of the Congress is to explore possible ways to improve reception conditions in view of the Common European Asylum System foreseen by The Hague programme for 2010.