Weekly Editorial: Multiculturalism is not an imposed utopian ideology it is a mundane fact – also in Hungary
In its latest stunt, Victor Orban’s government is sending 8 million Hungarians a questionnaire on Georg Soros’ supposed plans to bring millions of refugees to Europe. While there is something almost comic about organising a national consultation on a ludicrous...
Refugees Rights Data Project findings: current response to the situation in Ventimiglia by Italy and France disregards human rights
This week, Refugee Rights Data Project in partnership with Refugee Youth Service France released the report “In Dangerous Transit – Filling information gaps relating to refugees and displaced people in Ventimiglia, Italy” based on research conducted in the end of...
Greek Council of State dismisses all complaints on fast track border procedure and declares Turkey ‘safe third country’ based on doubtful documentation
On 22 September 2017, the Greek Council of State, the highest administrative court of the country, delivered two long-awaited judgments (2347/2017 and 2348/2017) regarding two Syrian nationals whose claims were rejected as inadmissible. The rulings will have important...
Immediate return of migrants from the Spanish enclave of Melilla to Morocco violated the European Convention on Human Rights
On 3 October 2017, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled that Spain violated the prohibition of collective expulsion (Article 4 Protocol 4) and the right to an effective remedy (Article 13 ECHR) on a case related to the return to Morocco of migrants who had...
Interview with Abdul Ghafoor, Afghanistan Migrants Advice & Support Organisation on one year Joint Way Forward between EU & Afghanistan
This week marks the anniversary of the Joint Way Forward between Afghanistan and the European Union. What impact did the agreement have and what is your opinion of its effectiveness and sustainability? The impact of the Joint Way Forward deal, as I would call it was,...
Conditions on Greek islands remain critical, as arrivals continue
The hotspots on the Eastern Aegean islands continue to be marred by overcrowding and deteriorating living conditions. At the beginning of October, a total 13,538 people remained on the islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos. With the exception of Leros, all...
Weekly Editorial: Success of the European Agenda on Migration should not be judged by reduction of arrivals
This week the European Commission published its Communication on the “Delivery of the European Agenda on Migration”. ECRE provided its own assessment in the consultation leading up the Communication. Needless to say, there are some differences between our analysis and...
12 Million Euro invested in removing blind spots along the border fence of Ceuta
CLEARIFICATION: ECRE misquoted Statewatch and the correct amount invested by the Spanish Government is 12 Million Euro. Statewatch reports that the Spanish Interior Minister Juan Iganacio Zoido announced a 12 million euro investment to improve the fence in the...