Highlights

  • Handbook / Guide / Manual
    8
    Oktober
    2025
    The Entry/Exit System (EES), launching in 2025, will register non-EU nationals crossing the EU’s external borders. This FRA guidance helps border guards apply the new rules in line with EU fundamental rights. It offers practical tips on informing people, collecting biometric data and supporting people with specific needs. Based on fieldwork at 10 border crossing points in 6 Member States, the guidance will ensure rights are respected under the new system. A separate guidance publication for managers accompanies this publication.
  • Opinion / Position Paper
    23
    Juli
    2025
    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.
  • Periodic updates / Series
    20
    Juni
    2025
    The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights regularly collects data on the operations of NGO vessels involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean. This includes any legal proceedings against them, as well as any difficulties in disembarking migrants in safe ports. This paper provides an overview of criminal investigations and other legal proceedings initiated by European Union (EU) Member States against civil society organisations deploying search and rescue vessels and aircraft in the Mediterranean and/or against individual crew members. The latest update covers the period from 2018 up until 1 June 2025.
  • Seite
    This page describes the activities of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) on migration and asylum. It also explains how these activities can help the European Union (EU) and its Member States to implement the Pact on Migration and Asylum in a fundamental rights-compliant manner.
    Produkte
    17
    Dezember
    2021
    The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) regularly collects data on NGO vessels involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean. This includes any legal proceedings against them, as well as any difficulties disembarking migrants in safe ports. The International Organization for Migration estimates that from January to 10 December 2021 about 1,654 people have died or gone missing while crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe to escape war or persecution or to pursue a better life. This is an average of more than four people per day. Deadly incidents have also occurred recently in the Channel (La Manche).
    17
    Dezember
    2021
    The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has been regularly collecting data on asylum and migration since September 2015. This report focuses on the fundamental rights situation of people arriving in Member States and EU candidate countries particularly affected by migration. It addresses fundamental rights concerns between 1 July and 30 September 2021.
    13
    Dezember
    2021
    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.
    9
    Dezember
    2021
    This report sheds light on the realities faced by unaccompanied migrant children who are not in the care of child protection systems in the EU. Presented as a case study, it tells the story of children and young adults from Pakistan who travelled alone to the EU without their parents or other adults.
    4
    November
    2021
    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.
    24
    September
    2021
    The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has been regularly collecting data on asylum and migration since September 2015. This report focuses on the fundamental rights situation of people arriving in Member States and EU candidate countries particularly affected by migration. It addresses fundamental rights concerns between 1 January and 30 June 2021.
    9
    Juli
    2021
    This note sets out human rights standards stemming from both the European Convention on Human Rights and European Union (EU) law that apply to effective remedies for human rights violations at borders, together with those on complaints mechanisms and investigations into complaints of rights violations at borders.
    24
    Juni
    2021
    The Employers Sanctions Directive was primarily enacted to dissuade employers from recruiting migrants in an irregular situation, but it also contains provisions to protect workers. It facilitates access to justice for exploited workers and sets out workers’ rights to claim back payment of outstanding wages. The directive also contains provisions to enhance the effectiveness of labour inspections. This report describes how the 25 Member States bound by the directive have been implementing its protective provisions, focusing on the impact these provisions have on migrant workers in an irregular situation who are victims of exploitation and other labour
    law violations.
    18
    Juni
    2021
    The International Organization for Migration estimates that about 813 people died or went missing crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe to escape war, persecution or to pursue a better life in 2021, up to 15 June. This is an average of almost five people per day. The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) collects data on NGO ships involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean, legal proceedings against them, as well as difficulties in disembarking migrants in safe ports.
    10
    Juni
    2021
    Das Jahr 2020 brachte beim Schutz der Grundrechte
    sowohl Fortschritte als auch Rückschritte. In ihrem
    Grundrechte-Bericht 2021 untersucht die FRA wichtige
    Entwicklungen auf diesem Gebiet und zeigt sowohl
    Erfolge als auch Bereiche auf, in denen es immer
    noch Probleme gibt.
    10
    Juni
    2021
    FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2021 reviews major developments in the field in 2020, identifying both achievements and areas of concern. It also presents FRA’s opinions on these developments, including a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions. This year’s focus chapter explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fundamental rights. The remaining chapters cover: the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights; equality and non-discrimination; racism, xenophobia and related intolerance; Roma equality and inclusion; asylum, borders and migration; information society, privacy and data protection; rights of the child; access to justice; and the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
    10
    Juni
    2021
    This focus looks at COVID-19’s impact on fundamental rights. It underscores that a human rights-based approach to tackling the pandemic requires balanced measures that are based on law, necessary, temporary and proportional. It also requires addressing the pandemic’s socio-economic impact, protecting the vulnerable and fighting racism.
    FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty visited the island of Samos, Greece, in April 2021 to get a sense of the reception facilities there. In this video, he acknowledges the efforts being made to improve facilities. He offers the Agency’s continued commitment to support these supports. As an example, he refers to FRA’s guidance on respecting fundamental rights at such facilities that could benefit both migrants and locals.
    FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty, in his latest vlog, reflects on the migration situation at the EU’s external borders. He highlights the need for sustained joined-up efforts from all relevant bodies, including civil society, to protect the wellbeing and human rights of migrants. He underlines the importance of working with local communities as we receive migrants into our communities. He also points to room for improvement is our treatment of unaccompanied children.
    26
    März
    2021
    This note outlines how to help ensure a dignified stay for third-country nationals who are apprehended or intercepted at external borders. Specifically, FRA identifies twelve points for protection-sensitive and fundamental rights-compliant planning and design of initial-reception facilities at such borders. These are based on the agency’s work at external borders, including data collection and research activities.
    FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty visited the Canary Islands in March 2021 to get a sense of the migration situation there. He highlights the need to support the Canary Islands in relocating unaccompanied children and providing clear procedures on asylum applications.
    25
    Februar
    2021
    The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has been regularly collecting data on asylum and migration since September 2015. This report focuses on the fundamental rights situation of people arriving in Member States and EU candidate countries particularly affected by migration. It addresses fundamental rights concerns between 1 October and 31 December 2020.
    18
    Dezember
    2020
    In 2020 (until 15 December), the International Organization for Migration estimated that about 1,054 people have died or gone missing while crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe to escape war or persecution or to pursue a better life. This is an average of almost three people per day. In the past years, a significant number of migrants in distress at sea have been rescued by civil society vessels deployed with a humanitarian mandate to reduce fatalities and bring rescued migrants to safety. Since 2018, however, national authorities initiated some 50 administrative and criminal proceedings against crew members or vessels, also seizing the latter. In some cases, rescue vessels were blocked in harbours due to flag issues or the inability to meet maritime safety-related and other technical requirements.
    Handbook / Guide / Manual
    17
    Dezember
    2020
    Die Europäische Menschenrechtskonvention (EMRK) und das Recht der Europäischen Union
    bieten einen zunehmend bedeutenden Rahmen für den Schutz der Rechte von Ausländern.
    Das Unionsrecht zu Asyl, Grenzen und Einwanderung entwickelt sich in hoher Geschwindigkeit
    weiter. Der Umfang der Rechtsprechung des Europäischen Gerichtshofs für Menschenrechte,
    insbesondere zu den Artikeln 3, 5, 8 und 13 EMRK, ist beträchtlich. Der Gerichtshof
    der Europäischen Union wird immer häufiger aufgefordert, sich zur Auslegung der diesbezüglichen
    Bestimmungen des EU-Rechts zu äußern. Die dritte Ausgabe dieses Handbuchs
    wurde im Juli 2020 fertiggestellt. Es stellt das Unionsrecht sowie die Rechtsprechung der
    beiden europäischen Gerichtshöfe auf verständliche Art und Weise vor.
    8
    Dezember
    2020
    This report looks at fundamental rights compliance at the European Union (EU)’s external land borders, including rivers and lakes. On 30 January 2020, the European Parliament requested the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) to prepare a report on these borders. It noted that the report should focus on the correct application of the safeguards in the European asylum acquis and the provisions of the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2016/399).
    Im Rahmen der Debatte der EU-Minister zur künftigen EU-Politik im Bereich Freiheit, Sicherheit und Recht präsentiert die EU-Agentur für Grundrechte (FRA) den Jahresbericht 2013. Neben praktischen Vorschlägen, wie die Grundrechte der Menschen in der EU besser geschützt werden können, zeigt der FRA-Jahresbericht vor allem auf, welche grundrechtlichen Herausforderungen und Erfolge es im Jahr 2013 gab.
    Bei den jüngsten Tragödien im Mittelmeer sind wiederum viele MigrantInnen ertrunken. Die Häufigkeit dieser tragischen Ereignisse macht deutlich, dass die Mitgliedstaaten und die Europäische Union dringend zusammenarbeiten müssen, um das Leben der MigrantInnen zu schützen und ihre Rechte zu wahren.
    Am 4. August wurden 102 Menschen, unter ihnen vier Schwangere und eine verletzte Frau sowie ein fünf Monate altes Kleinkind, von einem Tankschiff, der M/V SALAMIS, in der libyschen Such- und Rettungszone gerettet.
    Der Europäische Gerichtshof für Menschenrechte (EGMR) und die Agentur der Europäischen Union für Grundrechte (FRA) stellen heute ein zweites Handbuch zum europäischen Recht vor. Das Handbuch zu den europarechtlichen Grundlagen im Bereich Asyl, Grenzen und Einwanderung baut auf den Erfahrungen auf, die die beiden Institutionen im Rahmen ihres ersten gemeinsamen Projekts, dem 2011 veröffentlichten Handbuch zum europäischen Antidiskriminierungsrecht, sammeln konnten.
    Ein neuer Bericht der Agentur der Europäischen Union für Grundrechte (FRA) stellt die Ergebnisse einer eingehenden Untersuchung in vier EU-Mitgliedstaaten, die über südliche Seegrenzen in der EU verfügen, vor.