Asylum

Asylum, migration and borders

The migrant crisis has triggered challenges across Europe. FRA encourages rights-compliant responses.

We provide practical expertise on this complex issue. This includes regular updates, focus papers and toolkits. We outline policy alternatives and best practices.

Highlights

  • Report / Paper / Summary
    6
    July
    2023
    Following yet another recent tragic shipwreck and loss of life in the Mediterranean, this short report sets out examples of actions the EU could take to meet its obligations to protect the right to life and prevent more deaths at sea. As part of the work that the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) does on upholding fundamental rights in asylum and return procedures, this report calls for better protection for shipwreck survivors, and prompt and independent investigations. It sets out measures that EU Member States should take to improve search and rescue efforts and provide legal pathways to safety to prevent deaths at sea.
  • Fundamental Rights Report
    8
    June
    2023
    Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine has resulted in massive internal and external population displacement. The European Union (EU) rapidly activated its Temporary Protection Directive for the first time since it was adopted in 2001. This entitled nearly 4 million people to legal residence and access to work, housing and legal assistance, education and healthcare.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    28
    February
    2023
    Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine triggered scenes not seen in Europe for decades. It has since caused death, immense destruction, and unspeakable suffering. It also set in motion a mass movement of people not seen since World War II. To protect them, the EU activated the Temporary Protection Directive for the first time. In doing so, all EU Member States must offer protection to those displaced from Ukraine.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    2
    February
    2023
    Many cities throughout the European Union hosted people fleeing Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The EU currently faces the largest displacement of people in Europe since World War II. Since February 2022, over seven million people came to the EU. The arrival of such large numbers of people thrust cities and local governments to the forefront of the EU and its Member States’ relief work. This short publication provides a snapshot of cities’ initiatives to address this humanitarian crisis.
Products
Following the latest tragedy in which more than 70 migrants suffocated in a lorry that was abandoned on the Austrian motorway, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) expresses its shock and reiterates its calls for the fundamental rights of all those reaching the EU to be respected.
Record numbers of migrants died as they tried to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe in 2014. Member States should therefore consider offering more legal possibilities for people in need of international protection to enter the EU, as viable alternatives to risky irregular entry. This is one of the conclusions from this year’s Annual report which looks at developments across the EU in many areas over 2014.
Consumers are often unaware that the food they eat or the clothes they buy may have
been produced by people working under conditions of severe labour exploitation. A new
report by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) shows that while the EU has
legislation prohibiting certain forms of severe labour exploitation, workers moving within
or migrating to the EU are at risk of becoming victims.
Two new reports by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) present the human rights situation at the EU’s air and land borders where asylum seekers as well as victims of trafficking for labour and sexual exploitation and for organ extraction may also first enter the EU.
Hundreds of thousands of people are coming to Europe to seek safety from persecution and war, or simply in search of a better life. In order to guarantee respect for the rights of those arriving at the EU’s shores and ensure they can achieve their full potential to the benefit of themselves and EU society, an effective and sustainable migration policy is vital.
All across the EU, children without parental care risk falling victims of abuse or trafficking. Today, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) releases a handbook to strengthen national guardianship systems for children in Europe, as part of the EU’s anti-trafficking strategy which recognises the vital role guardians play in protecting children from harm.
After the success of the first edition, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) are today launching an update of their guide to European law on asylum, borders and immigration. As well as updating the material contained in the handbook published last year, the guide is being made available in a further two languages.
As EU ministers meet to discuss the future of the EU’s policies on freedom, security and justice, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) outlines practical suggestions in its Annual report about how to ensure people in the EU can have their rights better protected. It also maps out the fundamental rights challenges and achievements that took place over the course of 2013.
Many migrants drowned in the recent tragedies in the Mediterranean Sea. The frequency of such tragic events points to the urgent need for Member States and the European Union to work together to safeguard the lives and rights of migrants.
The recent tragedy off Italy in which at least 92 people have died after a boat carrying African migrants sank, underscores why all possible efforts should be made to reduce the need for people to take such dangerous journeys, given the high risks of sea crossings.
On 4 August, 102 people, including four pregnant women, one injured woman as well as a five-month old baby were rescued by a tanker, the M/V SALAMIS, in the Libyan search and rescue area.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) published a joint Handbook on European law relating to asylum, borders and immigration on 11 June.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) are today launching a second practical guide to European law.
A new report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) presents the results of in-depth research in four EU Member States with southern EU sea borders.
Irregular migrants throughout the European Union face labour exploitation and are denied access to basic services. The Fundamental Rights Conference will focus on how to promote minimum rights standards for irregular migrants - a group vulnerable to serious fundamental rights violations.
Today the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) is presenting its report on the fundamental rights of irregular migrants who are employed as domestic workers in the EU. Most irregular migrants in domestic work are women. The report shows that their irregular immigration status, coupled with challenges in regulating domestic work more generally, makes this group very vulnerable to exploitation, including cases of physical abuse. Typical forms of exploitation include low pay, often having to work excessive working hours, and usually not being able to obtain compensation for work-related accidents.
Fundamental rights: challenges and achievements in 2010, the flagship Annual Report of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), charts the progress made in 2010 by the European Union (EU) and its Member States towards securing the rights guaranteed by the Charter of Fundamental Rights through developments in legislation, policies and practices. The FRA Annual Report, presented at the European Parliament today, points to promising practices and obstacles to rights protection across a range of policy areas. Some of the major challenges in 2010 related to asylum, the Roma and data protection.
Today the Fundamental Rights Agency is publishing a report about the fundamental rights situation of persons entering Greece irregularly at its land border with Turkey. This report is based on field research in the Evros region in January 2011.
Protection mechanisms on paper do not yet fully function in practiceThe 2010 Annual Report of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) identifies challenges in the areas of data protection, extreme exploitation in the workplace, rights of the child, racism and discrimination, and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) issues.
Today in Warsaw, Frontex Executive Director Ilkka Laitinen signed a cooperation arrangement with the Director of the Fundamental Rights Agency, Morten Kjaerum."Frontex is dedicated to upholding the highest possible standards in border management for the EU - in all its aspects", said Ilkka Laitinen.  "This new cooperation arrangement with our colleagues at the FRA will provide us with access to valuable expertise in the pursuit of this aim", he added.