Morocco takes in Syrian asylum-seeking families stuck at its Algerian border
On 20 June 2017, Morocco agreed to take in thirteen Syrian families that had been stuck at the Moroccan-Algerian border for months under alarming conditions. The group of 28 people included ten children and several individuals in need of medical attention. Initially,...
Weekly Editorial: Are European politicians bowing to a phantom?
In recent years, dubious and cynical policies at EU and national level have been presented as democratic in the sense that they were defended by referring to the views of European populations. It is as if push-backs, arbitrary detention, and the deportations of asylum...
European Council Conclusions on the CEAS reform: Wrong signal at the wrong time, OP-ed by Kris Pollet, ECRE Senior Legal & Policy Officer
Just over one year since the Commission presented its controversial package on the reform of the legal framework of the Common European Asylum System, the European Council has once more discussed the state of play on the legislative process with the aim of providing...
Global displacement crisis seen from Europe – Interview with ECRE Secretary General, Catherine Woollard
UNHCR’s Global Trends report for 2016 reveals a record number of 65.6 million people forcibly displaced. How does that affect Europe? First it is important to keep the proportions in perspective. The number of first time asylum applicants in Europe was 1.2 million...
Australia settles trial by offering 70 million Australian dollars as compensation to refugees
On 14 June the Australian government and its contractors settled a class action suit run on behalf of 1,905 refugees and asylum seekers who were held at the Manus Island regional processing centre by offering them 70 million Australian dollars. This way the Australian...
Commission praises progress under EU Partnership Framework– human rights organisations raise concern
The Commission report published last Tuesday congratulates the progress achieved within the first year of the EU Partnership Framework on Migration. Meanwhile, a number of human rights organizations have raised strong concern. The Commission states that cooperation in...
AIDA Briefing: The expansion of detention of asylum seekers
An AIDA legal briefing published today tracks the expansion of detention policies and practices across Europe. Despite the entry into force of common standards relating to detention such as those prescribed in the recast Reception Conditions Directive, the deprivation...
Fourth report on the operationalisation of the European Border and Coast Guard: Towards deployment of Frontex in third countries and more returns
On June 13 the European Commission released its fourth report to the EU Parliament on the operationalisation of the European Border and Coast Guard. The progress described in the report includes operational cooperation with priority third countries and deployment of...