EU EXTERNAL PARTNERS: Large-scale movements of people from Lebanon to Syria ― NGOs urge Libya to accept migration-related recommendations from UN human rights review ― EU and Nigeria sign ‘readmission’ agreement ― Prominent human rights activist jailed in Tunisia ― NGOs renew criticism of EU-Türkiye migration deal
More than 130,000 people have entered Syria from Lebanon since the start of the latest conflict. Several NGOs have used a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council to reiterate their concerns about the treatment of people on the move in Libya. The EU has...
AIDA Country Report on Cyprus – Update on 2025
The updated AIDA Country Report on Cyprus provides a detailed overview on legislative and practice-related developments in asylum procedures, reception conditions, detention of asylum applicants and content of international protection in 2025. It is accompanied by an...
ECRE Statement: European Parliament Vote on the Return Regulation
ECRE expresses profound disappointment and alarm at the position adopted today (26 March) by the European Parliament on the mandate for the Return Regulation. The outcome of the vote represents a clear regression from fundamental rights standards and risks undermining...
OP-ED: Firm without Fairness – The dangerous drift of the Return Regulation
By Catherine Warin and Anna Smolinska On 26 March, MEPs will vote on the mandate to enter into interinstitutional negotiations regarding the future ‘Return Regulation’. There is a consensus on the need to modernise the EU’s legal framework for removing unauthorised...
UK: Government introduces more asylum reforms ― ‘One in, one out’ scheme faces new obstacles ― Legal experts question use of AI in asylum assessments ― Asylum appeals backlog almost doubles in 12 months ― Poll shows UK ‘leads world’ in concern about migration
The government has introduced more reforms to the UK asylum system. The current UK-France migration agreement has faced a number of setbacks in recent weeks. Legal experts have warned that the Home Office’s use of AI in assessing asylum applications may be unlawful....
CENTRAL EUROPE: Austria to start negotiations on migration agreement with Uzbekistan ― NGOs denounce ‘Russian style’ draft law ― Germany to cut funding for independent legal counselling ― Work starting on new fence on Poland-Belarus border ― Swiss government rejects population cap proposal
The Austrian government has given the green light to open negotiations with Uzbekistan on a possible migration agreement. The Czech government is preparing controversial legislation that could tighten rules for NGOs. The German ministry of the interior has announced...
OP-ED: EU Return Policy at a Crossroads
By Reshad Jalali The existing EU Return Directive (2008) – although far from perfect (see ECRE’s previous analysis) – does contain a number of safeguards intended to prevent arbitrary decision-making, guarantee access to justice and protect individuals from being...
OP-ED: Belgian Migration Minister ignores Constitutional Court ruling…and is met with almost no political resistance
By Helene Asselman One may wonder why it still comes as a surprise that measures aimed at deterring people on the move not only cross every boundary of decency but increasingly also breach legal limits. However, many a lawyer both in and outside the migration sector...