The process of seeking asylum in Europe amounts to little more than playing the lottery, a group of refugee charities said on Friday. Twelve years after committing to unify asylum policies, the European Union (EU) remains far from achieving its goal and, as a result, the chances of being granted refugee status vary wildly from country to country, the European Council on Refugees and Exile (ECRE) said in a report. The report highlights big differences in the decisions, procedures and rules relating to asylum seekers in 14 different EU countries - from access to accommodation, legal aid and jobs to the use of detention. (Thomson Reuters Foundation,  06/09/13)