Editorial: EU Asylum Agency Moving Forward and the End of the “Package Approach”?

11th June 2021 | News

News broke this week of an unexpected success for the Portuguese Presidency. Making progress where the Germans failed, they have persuaded the southern Member States to allow elements of the asylum reform proposals to move forward. The so-called Mediterranean 5 (soon...

European Commission Publishes EU Strategy on Voluntary Return and Reintegration

30th April 2021 | News

The European Commission has published a strategy on voluntary return and reintegration. The aim of the strategy is to promote voluntary return and reintegration and to develop a more coherent and coordinated approach among Member States. “Voluntary return is far...

Editorial: Matter of Pact: Speculating on the Fate of the Pact

19th February 2021 | News

After a short initial flurry of media coverage and debate, the EU’s New Pact on Migration and Asylum has disappeared from view, with public and political attention focused on COVID, recovery, Brexit, government changes and so on. Most independent commentators,...

Med: The Cycle of Interceptions, Rescues and Arrivals Continues

12th February 2021 | News

Since the beginning of February, activity on the Mediterranean continues to be intense with departures from Libya, interceptions by the so-called Libyan coast guard, and rescues. About 1,500 people have been intercepted and returned to Libya within one week, where...

Atlantic Route: Containment, Return, Deterrence – Spain’s Response to Increased Sea Arrivals

27th November 2020 | News

The Spanish government does not agree to transferring migrants who arrive in the Canary Islands to the Spanish mainland, despite reception offers from several regions. Instead, it seeks to cooperate with African states on returns and deterrence. The Spanish government...