Training Seminar on Pact on Migration and Asylum

Training Seminar on Pact on Migration and Asylum

The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) is organising an in-person training seminar on the legislative instruments of the Pact on Migration and Asylum on 5-6 March 2025 in Brussels. Objective The aim of this 1.5 day training seminar is to provide an...
Balkan Route: NGO warning about Frontex data showing major fall in irregular crossings ― Agreement on Frontex deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina ― Agreement on border control co-operation between Croatia, Italy and Slovenia ― NGO shines spotlight on EU funding for ‘assisted voluntary return’ programme in Bulgaria ― Activists accuse Bulgarian border police of ‘deliberate neglect’ in deaths of three minors ― NGO highlights EU funding for border surveillance in Serbia ― Another European court ruling against Hungary for unlawful detention of people seeking asylum

Balkan Route: NGO warning about Frontex data showing major fall in irregular crossings ― Agreement on Frontex deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina ― Agreement on border control co-operation between Croatia, Italy and Slovenia ― NGO shines spotlight on EU funding for ‘assisted voluntary return’ programme in Bulgaria ― Activists accuse Bulgarian border police of ‘deliberate neglect’ in deaths of three minors ― NGO highlights EU funding for border surveillance in Serbia ― Another European court ruling against Hungary for unlawful detention of people seeking asylum

The Italian Consortium of Solidarity has called for ‘careful’ reading of new data from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) that shows a significant decrease in the number of irregular crossings on the Western Balkan route in 2024. The EU and Bosnia...
ATLANTIC ROUTE and SPAIN: Record number of arrivals on Canary Islands in 2024 ― New NGO report reveals shocking scale of deaths on maritime routes to Spain ― Central government and Canary Islands reach agreement on distribution of unaccompanied minors ― Balearic Islands government considers requesting assistance from Frontex

ATLANTIC ROUTE and SPAIN: Record number of arrivals on Canary Islands in 2024 ― New NGO report reveals shocking scale of deaths on maritime routes to Spain ― Central government and Canary Islands reach agreement on distribution of unaccompanied minors ― Balearic Islands government considers requesting assistance from Frontex

The number of recorded irregular arrivals on the Canary Islands reached an all-time record in 2024. A new NGO report has revealed that at least 10,457 people died or disappeared trying to reach Spain via maritime routes in 2024. The central government and the...
EU EASTERN BORDERS: Major increase in crossings in 2024 ― Polish presidency to focus on border security ― Polish government adopts controversial draft laws on migration and asylum ― Finland planning to extend controversial border law ― Slovak PM threatens to cut aid to Ukrainian refugees

EU EASTERN BORDERS: Major increase in crossings in 2024 ― Polish presidency to focus on border security ― Polish government adopts controversial draft laws on migration and asylum ― Finland planning to extend controversial border law ― Slovak PM threatens to cut aid to Ukrainian refugees

There has been a threefold increase in the number of recorded irregular crossings on the Eastern Borders route. The Polish government has made border security a priority of Poland’s presidency of the Council of the EU. The Polish government has adopted a controversial...
EU EXTERNAL PARTNERS: Criticism over EU transfer of € 1 billion to Egypt for ‘credible steps’ on democracy and human rights ― New cases of migrant abuses by the Libyan authorities include mass deportation and torture in detention ― Tunisia’s detention of prominent refugee rights activists sparks international solidarity campaign ― Türkiye introduces new measures to facilitate voluntary return of Syrians ― Humanitarian agencies express readiness to relieve humanitarian crisis in Gaza following announcement of ‘tragically overdue’ ceasefire

EU EXTERNAL PARTNERS: Criticism over EU transfer of € 1 billion to Egypt for ‘credible steps’ on democracy and human rights ― New cases of migrant abuses by the Libyan authorities include mass deportation and torture in detention ― Tunisia’s detention of prominent refugee rights activists sparks international solidarity campaign ― Türkiye introduces new measures to facilitate voluntary return of Syrians ― Humanitarian agencies express readiness to relieve humanitarian crisis in Gaza following announcement of ‘tragically overdue’ ceasefire

Critics have argued that EU aid to Egypt strengthens President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s authoritarian rule and enables the repression of refugees and dissidents. Libyan authorities have deported more than 600 people to Niger. NGOs and advocates in have launched a...
MEDITERRANEAN: Major fall in crossings in 2024 ― Fewer deaths and disappearances in 2024 ― ECtHR rules against Greece in ‘landmark’ case on pushbacks

MEDITERRANEAN: NGOs accuse Greece of continuing to subject people in detention to ‘inhuman’ treatment ― Sharp rise in number of child arrivals in Greece and ‘alarming conditions’ in refugee camps ― Major increase in number of arrests for ‘people smuggling’ in Greece ― Council of Europe criticises conditions in pre-removal detention centres in Italy ― Geo Barents rescue vessel ceases operations ― Search and rescue NGOs fear ‘Flows Decree’ could further criminalise their activities

Three NGOs have accused Greek authorities of continuing to subject people held in pre-removal detention centres (PRDCs) to conditions which could amount to “torture or inhuman and degrading treatment”. An NGO report has revealed that the number of child arrivals in...
EU EASTERN BORDERS: Major increase in crossings in 2024 ― Polish presidency to focus on border security ― Polish government adopts controversial draft laws on migration and asylum ― Finland planning to extend controversial border law ― Slovak PM threatens to cut aid to Ukrainian refugees

EU EASTERN BORDERS: New EC Communication on ‘Instrumentalisation’ ― Poland accused of pushbacks into Belarus ― EC refuses to release frozen funding for Hungary ― NGOs in Finland urge government to reopen crossing points on border with Russia

The European Commission (EC) is planning to increase the support it provides to EU member states to counter the instrumentalisation of people trying to cross the EU’s eastern border irregularly. An NGO report has revealed that Polish authorities have been using...