IOM: journey to Europe, most deadly route for irregular migrants

3rd October 2014 | News

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimates that 22,394 persons died since 2000 trying to reach Europe by irregular routes, while around 40,000 migrants have died on route in total, globally. That makes Europe the most fatal destination for irregular...

New report on statelessness reveals shocking human rights abuses and calls for urgent reform across Europe

3rd October 2014 | News

The European Network on Statelessness (ENS) launched a new report today, 3 October, Still stateless, still suffering – Why Europe must act now to protect stateless persons, which contains testimonies by stateless migrants living in 11 European countries. The report...

Human Rights Commission of the Italian Senate: prolonging detention ineffective for ensuring returns

3rd October 2014 | News

The Report on the Centres for Identification and Expulsion of foreigners (CIE) in Italy compiled by the Human Rights Commission of the Italian Senate shows that prolonging the maximum detention period to 18 months in 2011 (the maximum time allowed under the Return...

Restricted movement and detention of asylum seekers prevails in Swiss asylum process, says JRS Europe

3rd October 2014 | News

New research by Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Europe highlights that throughout the Swiss asylum process freedom of movement for asylum applicants is considerably restricted. This is the case from the moment an application is lodged, either at an airport, crossing...

Give your opinion on the AIDA website

3rd October 2014 | News

In order to improve the Asylum Information Database (AIDA) and its website, ECRE is seeking the opinion of the database’s users through a short survey. Responding to the survey takes less than 5 minutes and responses are anonymous. AIDA is an ECRE project mapping...

140,000 refugees flee to Turkey in 3 days: Turkish NGOs call for borders to remain open and for more resettlement of refugees

26th September 2014 | News

Last week, ISIS fighters attacked the Kurdish town of Kobani, also known as Ayn al-Arab, in northern Syria, causing Kobani’s residents to flee towards the nearby Turkish border. Turkey’s initial response was to close the crossing points with Syria saying that...

UK pledges €15 million to prevent migrants and refugees in Calais from entering Britain

26th September 2014 | News

The UK has committed 15 million euro to the strengthening of controls, surveillance and security at the port of Calais. A Joint Declaration from the French Ministry of Interior and UK Home Secretary agree that funding will be given to France for a period of three...

COMPAS report shows that irregular migrant families are often excluded from welfare benefits in Madrid and Berlin

26th September 2014 | News

A new report by the Centre on Migration, Policy, and Society (COMPAS), of the University of Oxford, City-level responses to migrant families with restricted access to welfare benefits: A European pilot study finds that, in both legislation and practice, access to...

Stuck in poverty – Swiss Refugee Council finds destitute recognised refugees are unable to move residence within Italy

26th September 2014 | News

A report by the Swiss Refugee Council (OSAR) finds that beneficiaries of international protection in Italy are in practice unable to take up residence in a municipality other than that of their initial residence, even when the support provided in that particular...

Germany adds Serbia, Macedonia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina to the list of safe countries of origin

26th September 2014 | News

On 19 September 2014, the German Bundesrat (Federal Council) passed a law according to which Serbia, Macedonia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina will be added to the list of safe countries of origin. Applications of asylum seekers from these countries will be considered as...