Death and summary returns at Europe’s doorstep: NGOs call on the European Commission to investigate border practices in Ceuta and Melilla

18th February 2014 | News

14 February 2014 Jorge Fernández Díaz, Spanish Minister of Interior addressed yesterday the Parliament regarding the death of at least 12 people and the alleged summary return of 23 people from Ceuta last week. These people were part of a larger group of reportedly...

18 March, Brussels: Seminar on refugee diasporas as development actors

18th February 2014 | News

14 February Registration is now open for a public seminar, taking place in Brussels on 18 March,  which focusses on the role of refugee diasporas in development in their countries of origin and the resulting impacts on their host country. The seminar is organised by...

New Implementing Regulation sets out detailed rules on applying Dublin III

14th February 2014 | News

14 February A new Implementing Regulation has entered into force providing detailed rules for the application of the Dublin III Regulation, which determines the Member State responsible for examining any asylum application lodged in the EU from 1 January 2014 onwards....

ECtHR Grand Chamber hears case of Tarakhel v Switzerland on Dublin removal of Afghan family to Italy

14th February 2014 | News

14 February 2014 On 12 February 2014, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) heard the complaint of the Tarakhel family against the Swiss government’s order that they be removed to Italy under the Dublin II Regulation. The family submitted...

European Migration Network publishes comparative study on reception facilities for asylum seekers in 24 countries

14th February 2014 | News

14 February 2014 A new comparative report by the European Migration Network reveals that the organisation of reception facilities for asylum seekers differs greatly between Member States and also within some Member States at sub-state level. In some cases, asylum...

The “stop the boats” obsession – a viewpoint from Australia by Paul Power, Chief Executive Officer, Refugee Council of Australia

14th February 2014 | News

14 February When the conservative Liberal-National Coalition was elected to government in Australia on 7 September 2013, one of its main pledges was to “stop the boats”. Since 2001, the response to asylum seekers who enter Australia by boat without prior visas has...

At least 13 people die in an attempt to enter Spain – Migrants accuse Guardia Civil of using rubber bullets and tear gas against them

7th February 2014 | News

7 February 2014 13 sub-Saharan migrants died on Thursday while trying to cross into the Spanish city of Ceuta on the North-African coast from a beach in neighbouring Morocco. Several migrants said Spanish Guardia Civil (Spanish policing authorities)shot rubber bullets...

Denmark suspends returns of asylum seekers to Bulgaria under the Dublin Regulation

7th February 2014 | News

7 February 2014 In response to a question from the Danish Parliamentary Committee on Immigration and Integration Affairs on 9 January 2014, the Justice Minister announced on 5 February that returns of asylum seekers under the Dublin Regulation to Bulgaria are...

Over half of women asylum seekers in the UK interviewed for new report contemplated suicide during detention

7th February 2014 | News

7 February 2014 According to UK Home Office statistics, 1,902 women seeking asylum were detained in 2012 in the UK, which equates to roughly a third of women asylum applicants for this period. Of the 46 detained women interviewed for a new report by UK-based NGO Women...

Commissioner Malmström: “There are very serious allegations of pushbacks and ill treatment of migrants in Greece. We need to shed full light”

7th February 2014 | News

7 February 2014 European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström and several Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have urged the Greek government to undertake an independent, thorough and transparent investigations into the tragedy that claimed  the lives...