The handbook provides an overview of EU legislation and case-law regarding asylum, borders and immigration. It also covers Council of Europe standards, including the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). The handbook is designed to support lawyers, judges, prosecutors, immigration officials, border guards and civil society organisations working on related issues.
This is the fourth edition of the handbook, updated to June 2026. Published jointly with the ECtHR, it includes a new chapter on monitoring fundamental rights compliance and investigations into reported rights violations.
The handbook aspires to improve the understanding of the common principles and standards developed through the case-law of the two European courts, and in EU regulations and directives. It reflects important developments since the previous edition in 2020, including the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. It helps readers understand where the two European legal systems converge and where the differ.
The updated handbook is now available in French, German, Italian, Greek and English with more language versions to follow.