Greece: Transfers to Mainland Camps and Reform Plans Following Surge in Arrivals
The Greek Ministry of Citizen Protection announced on 2 September 2019 that over 1,400 asylum seekers were transferred from the Reception and Identification Centre (RIC) of Moria, Lesvos to camps in Northern Greece, in collaboration with the International Organisation...
Lebanon: Deportations of Syrian Refugees Despite Warnings
Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports that the General Directory of General Security (GDGS) has deported 2,731 Syrian Refugees from Lebanon to Syria between May 21 and August 28. In May GDGS, based on an instruction from the Higher Defense Council, decided to return all...
UNHCR: Despite Progress Less than Half of Refugee Children in Education
The report “Stepping Up: Refugee Education in Crisis” by the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, found that less than half of the 7.1 million refugee children of school age go to school. UNHCR calls upon national education systems to adapt a more flexible approach that provides...
Weekly Editorial: A Fork in the Road
There are changes aplenty in the EU political scene this year, some confirmed, some under negotiation. A new European Parliament and new governments in 10 Member States, meaning new players (and new games) in the Council. A common theme is the removal of the far right...
The Dublin System in the First Half of 2019*
The implementation of the Dublin III Regulation continues to be fraught by inefficiency and questionable compliance with legal standards, according to statistics on 15 European countries published by AIDA, managed by ECRE. Germany and France continue to be the main...
Deaths and Standoffs on the Med Reinforce Calls for State-led SAR
At least 40 people drown amid further rescues and stand-offs on the Med. A month before the mandate of operation Sophia is up for renewal UNHCR calls for an EU member state-led SAR mission. On Wednesday, 28 August, 40 people are estimated to have drowned off the...
Germany: Court Finds German-Greek Bilateral Agreement Violates European Law
One year after Germany concluded bilateral agreements to facilitate the direct return of asylum seekers to Greece and Spain, an administrative Court ruled that the policy is in violation of European law. Although the court ordered the immediate return of an Afghan...
Spain Curbs Last State-Run Rescue Operation in EU
In the frame of increased cooperation with Morocco, Spain reduces rescue operations in the Med and pushes migrants and refugees to attempt more dangerous journeys. In their efforts to half the number of irregular arrivals in Spain, Spanish authorities only rescue in...