In response to increased arrivals of asylum seekers, in 2015 the European Commission introduced the hotspot approach. Under this approach, the European Commission and EU agencies supported Greece and Italy in identifying, registering and fingerprinting newly arrived people. FRA regularly visited the initial reception facilities hosting them. This report looks back at the lessons learnt from 10 years of FRA visits. It identifies recurring risks to rights and highlights practical measures and promising practices to prevent or address them. These ‘lessons learnt’ can inform the implementation of the 2024 Pact on Migration and Asylum in line with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

This position paper examines how the EU can counter the instrumentalisation of migrants while also upholding fundamental rights. Instrumentalisation refers to countries outside the EU using migration to exert political pressure. This position paper defines the phenomenon, provides examples, and outlines legal obligations under EU law. It provides legal analysis and warns that some responses risk undermining fundamental rights at the EU’s external borders, including the right to asylum. To counter instrumentalisation and uphold fundamental rights, the position paper proposes practical measures for Member States to take, such as sanctions, border controls, and cooperation with private operators.

FRA publishes annual updates on the forced return monitoring systems that EU Member States have set up under Article 8 (6) of the EU’s Return Directive (2008/115/EC). This latest update covers the period until the end of 2022.

Since 2014, FRA has been publishing an annual update of the forced return monitoring systems EU Member States have set up under Article 8 (6) of the EU’s Return Directive (2008/115/EC). This overview describes different indicators for an effective forced return monitoring system. It includes the organisation responsible for monitoring forced return, the number of operations monitored in 2021, the phases of monitored return operations, the number of staff trained and working as monitors, and whether the monitoring body issued public reports about their monitoring.

Since 2014, FRA has been publishing an annual update of the forced return monitoring systems EU Member States have set up under Article 8 (6) of the EU’s Return Directive. This overview describes different indicators for an effective forced return monitoring system. It includes the organisation responsible for monitoring forced return, the number of operations monitored in 2020, the phases of monitored return operations, the number of staff trained and working as monitors, and whether the monitoring body issued public reports about their monitoring.

This report outlines to what extent legal aid is available to those held in pre-removal detention in the 27 EU Member States, and in North Macedonia and Serbia, during procedures related to their return. These involve decisions on return, on detention pending removal, the removal itself and on bans on entry. The report also examines when people are entitled to free legal aid and how this aid is funded, as well as who provides representation and various factors that limit the scope of legal aid.

The EU Return Directive (2008/115/EC) in Article 8 (6) introduced an important fundamental rights safeguard for third-country nationals ordered to leave the EU because they do not or no longer fulfil the conditions for entry and/or stay. According to the directive, Member States must provide for an effective forced-return monitoring system.

The EU Return Directive (2008/115/EC) in Article 8 (6) introduced an important fundamental rights safeguard for third-country nationals ordered to leave the EU because they do not or no longer fulfil the conditions for entry and/or stay. According to the directive, Member States must provide for an effective forced-return monitoring system.

The EU Return Directive (2008/115/EC) in Article 8 (6) introduced an important fundamental rights safeguard for third-country nationals ordered to leave the EU because they do not or no longer fulfil the conditions for entry and/or stay. According to the Directive, Member States must provide for an effective forced-return monitoring system.

Up to one third of migrants arriving in the European Union since the summer of 2015 have been children. The current emphasis on speedier asylum processing and making returns more effective may trigger increased use of immigration detention, possibly also affecting children. The detention of children implicates various fundamental rights and will only be in line with EU law if limited to exceptional cases. This report aims to support practitioners in implementing relevant polices in line with applicable law by outlining available safeguards against unlawful and arbitrary detention and highlighting promising practices.

Ce « Focus » examine de façon approfondie les questions de l’asile et de la
migration dans l’Union européenne (UE) en 2015. Il se penche sur l’efficacité des mesures prises ou proposées par l’UE et
ses États membres pour gérer cette situation, en se concentrant en particulier sur le respect des droits fondamentaux.

This Focus takes a closer look at asylum and migration issues in the European Union (EU) in 2015. It looks at the effectiveness of measures taken or proposed by the EU and its Member States to manage this situation, with particular reference to their fundamental rights compliance.

Processing biometric data for immigration, asylum and border management purposes has become common. This focus paper looks at measures authorities can take to enforce the obligation of newly arrived asylum seekers and migrants in an irregular situation to provide fingerprints for inclusion in Eurodac.

For asylum and return (i.e. expulsion) procedures to be implemented effectively, people need to be at the disposal of the authorities so that any measure requiring their presence can be taken without delay. To achieve this, EU Member States may decide to hold people in closed facilities. Less intrusive measures, which are usually referred to as alternatives to detention, reduce the risk that deprivation of liberty is resorted to excessively.

Европейската конвенция за защита на правата на човека (ЕКПЧ) и правото на Европейския
съюз (ЕС) предоставят рамка за защита на правата на чужденците, чието значение
непрестанно расте.

Evropská úmluva o lidských právech (EÚLP) a právní předpisy Evropské unie (EU) poskytují
stále důležitější rámec pro ochranu práv cizinců. Právní předpisy EU v oblasti azylu, hranic
a přistěhovalectví se rychle rozvíjejí.

Den europæiske menneskerettighedskonvention og Den Europæiske Unions lovgivning udgør
en stadig vigtigere ramme for beskyttelsen af udlændinges rettigheder. Den Europæiske Unions
lovgivning vedrørende asyl, grænser og indvandring udvikler sig hurtigt.

Η Ευρωπαϊκή Σύμβαση για τα Δικαιώματα του Ανθρώπου (ΕΣΔΑ) και η νομοθεσία της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης (ΕΕ) παρέχουν ένα πλαίσιο προστασίας των δικαιωμάτων των αλλοδαπών, το οποίο αποκτά ολοένα και μεγαλύτερη σημασία. Η νομοθεσία της ΕΕ σε θέματα ασύλου, συνόρων και μετανάστευσης εξελίσσεται με ταχείς ρυθμούς.