European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
immigration
Recent migration flows to the EU
This infographic aims to present the latest available data on migrant flows to the EU in the years 2016 and 2017. It covers the detection of illegal crossings on the EU’s external borders, numbers of deaths of migrants on those crossings, the number of asylum applications in EU Member States and their decisions on those applications. Continue reading
International Migrants Day – 18 December
Each year, 18 December is observed as International Migrants Day. Nominated by the United Nations General Assembly on 4 December 2000 in response to increasing migration in the world, the day aims to draw attention to the human rights of migrants, and highlight their contribution to our societies. Continue reading
Secondary movements of asylum-seekers in the EU asylum system
Secondary movements occur when refugees or asylum-seekers move from the country in which they first arrived to seek protection or for permanent resettlement elsewhere. Continue reading
Reception of asylum-seekers – recast Directive [EU Legislation in Progress]
States must treat asylum-seekers and refugees according to the appropriate standards laid down in human rights and refugee law. The current migration crisis revealed wide divergences in the level of reception conditions provided by Member States. Continue reading
Smart Borders: EU Entry/Exit System [EU Legislation in Progress]
In anticipation of increased traveller flows and in response to security concerns regarding the control of EU external borders, on 6 April 2016, the Commission presented revised proposals for establishing an Entry/Exit System for recording the border-crossings of all non-EU nationals. Continue reading
Reform of the Dublin system [EU Legislation in Progress]
The refugee and migrant crisis in Europe has exposed the need for reform of the Common European Asylum System, in general, and of the Dublin rules, in particular. The Commission’s proposal of 4 May 2016 to reform the Dublin system does not change the existing criteria for determining which Member State is responsible for examining an asylum application. Continue reading
Recast Eurodac Regulation [EU Legislation in Progress]
Written by Anita Orav (2nd edition), Eurodac is a biometric database in which Member States are required to enter the fingerprint data of asylum-seekers in order to identify where they entered the EU. Established in 2000 and reviewed in 2013, its main purpose is to facilitate the application of the Dublin Regulation. The 2013 revision … Continue reading
Vulnerability of unaccompanied and separated child migrants
Written by Joanna Apap, The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) has estimated that in 2015, there were globally no fewer than 100 000 unaccompanied migrant and refugee children. Europol has stated that at least 10 000 unaccompanied child refugees have gone missing after arriving in Europe. There are various reasons why a child may be … Continue reading
EPRS Roundtable on ‘Europe’s Migration and Security Nexus: The role of the EU and the UN’
Written by Joanna Apap, In the face of ongoing migration challenges and the growing focus on external and internal security threats, growing rifts have opened up between Member States, hampering attempts to renew discussion on shared European values as enshrined in the Article 2 of Treaty on the European Union. At international level, the United … Continue reading
European Border and Coast Guard system [EU Legislation in Progress]
Written by Alexandra Gatto and Jesús Carmona (3rd edition), In December 2015, the European Commission proposed setting up a European Border and Coast Guard System (EBCGS), building on the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the EU (Frontex). The proposal would introduce a supervisory … Continue reading
Cohesion policy and the integration of migrants in urban areas
Written by Christiaan van Lierop, With migration largely an urban reality, the successful integration of migrants in our towns and cities is of key importance if Europe is to find a long-term solution to the migrant question. The EU’s cohesion policy can provide support for countries in this area through investments under the European Social … Continue reading
The EU and migration [What Think Tanks are Thinking]
Written by Marcin Grajewski, The migration crisis has eased since the agreement in March between the European Union and Turkey closed one major route through which people had been trying to reach Europe. A long-term solution to a better management of migration flows still appears elusive, as the Turkey deal could still unravel and other … Continue reading
The Establishment of an EU Entry/Exit System
Written by Hubert Dalli, This note seeks to provide an initial analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the European Commission’s Impact Assessment (IA) accompanying the above Commission proposals, submitted on 6 April 2016 and referred to Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Between 2002 and 2011 the European Commission issued a … Continue reading
Cohesion Policy support for migrants and refugees
Written by Sorina Silvia Ionescu, Migration-related issues are primarily within the competence of the Member States but the EU can support Member States, local authorities and civil society organisations in dealing with many of the associated challenges. In the European Commission Communication on a ‘European Agenda for Migration’, Cohesion Policy is highlighted as an important funding source … Continue reading
Outcome of informal European Council of 7 March 2016 and the informal meeting of the EU Heads of State or Government with Turkey
Written by Ralf Drachenberg, The informal European Council of 7 March 2016 focused on migration, assessing the state of implementation of previously agreed measures. EU leaders stressed the need to fully apply the Schengen Borders Code, thereby ending the ‘wave-through’ policy for migrants, providing humanitarian assistance to Greece and moving forward in the EU’s cooperation … Continue reading
Gender aspects of migration and asylum in the EU: An overview
Written by Rosamund Shreeves, Graphics: Christian Dietrich, Against a background of huge worldwide displacement, the EU is currently facing a surge in the number of people arriving in search of international protection. One aspect of this massive movement of people that is beginning to come under the spotlight is its gender dimension. Men and women … Continue reading
Europe’s migration crisis [What Think Tanks are Thinking]
Written by Marcin Grajewski, The current migration crisis threatens to turn into a humanitarian one, with the build-up of thousands of migrants and refugees close to Greece’s northern border, as other countries shut their borders to stop the flow of people fleeing war and poverty in Syria, North of Africa and elsewhere. The European Council … Continue reading
Asylum policy in the USA
Written by Ionel Zamfir To date, the United States has been a world leader in admitting people fleeing conflicts and persecution to settle on its territory. However, the nation wants to choose who it admits as a refugee. While refugees resettled by the US government enjoy generous support, asylum-seekers coming to the country on their … Continue reading
Arbitrary detention of women and children for immigration-related purposes
Written by Joanna Apap, Graphics by Christian Dietrich, An unprecedented mass movement of asylum-seekers and migrants of all ages started in 2014, and has continued throughout 2015 and into 2016. Fleeing armed conflicts, mass killings, persecution and pervasive sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), these persons seek protection under the 1951 Refugee Convention, its subsequent Protocol … Continue reading
Outlook for the European Council of 18-19 February 2016
Written by Ralf Drachenberg and Torlach Grant, At the 18-19 February 2016 meeting of the European Council, EU Heads of State or Government will focus on two main issues: the renegotiation of the United Kingdom’s membership of the EU and the migration crisis. With the aim of reaching an agreement at this European Council meeting, … Continue reading
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