Judgment_paragraph 52 · EZ v Bundesrepublik Deutschland (C-238/19)

52Article 4(1) of that directive provides that Member States may consider it the duty of the applicant to submit as soon as possible all the elements needed to substantiate the application for international protection. However, the statements made by an applicant for international protection constitute merely the starting point in the process of assessment of the facts and circumstances carried out by the competent authorities (see, to that effect, judgment of 25 January 2018, F, C‑473/16, EU:C:2018:36, paragraph 28). The same provision states that it is the duty of the Member State, in cooperation with the applicant for international protection, to assess the relevant elements of his or her application.