Asylum

Asylum, migration and borders

The increase in migration has presented opportunities and 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 also outline policy alternatives and best practices.

Highlights

  • Handbook / Guide / Manual
    8
    October
    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
    July
    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
    June
    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.
  • Page
    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.
    Publications and data
    10
    October
    2025
    Labour inspectors are essential for enforcing workers’ rights and for detecting and addressing labour exploitation. Together, the European Labour Authority (ELA) and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) have developed a guide for workplace inspectors on how to detect labour exploitation. This guide is a practical tool for labour inspectors. It focuses on non-national workers in the EU who work in a country other than their own. Such workers are particularly vulnerable to labour exploitation. The guide is also accompanied by a leaflet that summarises the detailed information provided in this guide.
    AdobeStock/Montri
    8
    October
    2025
    The Entry/Exit System (EES), launching in 2025, will register non-EU nationals crossing the EU’s external borders. This FRA guidance supports managers overseeing the operation of the new system. It helps them to ensure compliance with EU fundamental rights. It outlines operational considerations: clear communication, dignified biometric data collection and data protection. It also addresses staff training 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 border guards accompanies this publication.
    8
    October
    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.
    30
    July
    2025
    This publication looks at how EU countries investigate abuse and ill-treatment at their borders. While more incidents are now raised with judicial authorities, convictions remain rare. Covering incidents up to the end of 2024 - including serious cases and shipwrecks - it also highlights the role of Frontex and pending cases before the European Court of Human Rights. It builds on FRA’s 2024 Guidance on investigating alleged ill-treatment at borders which outlines ways to make investigations more effective.
    23
    July
    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.
    20
    June
    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.
    10
    June
    2025
    This publication is an excerpt from the Fundamental Rights Report 2025, the annual report of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). It presents selected critical developments in fundamental rights in 2024, as well as the key findings and FRA opinions from the report’s chapters.
    10
    June
    2025
    The Fundamental Rights Report 2025 is the annual report of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). It provides an overview of the state of fundamental rights in the EU and highlights selected critical developments and trends in 2024. The report covers issues such as inclusive elections, gender-based violence, and the implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. It presents FRA’s opinions on these developments, setting out the actions that the EU and Member States should take. This annual publication is a valuable resource for those seeking to stay informed about the EU’s shifting landscape of fundamental rights.
    6
    February
    2025
    This FRA Position Paper outlines the Agency’s position on the creation of 'return hubs' in non-EU countries for migrants who have been ordered to leave the EU. Considering the serious fundamental rights risks connected with running return hubs, this legal analysis presents the conditions that would have to be met for return hubs to respect fundamental rights and comply with EU law. These include setting up agreements with the host countries and creating independent human rights monitoring mechanisms. The position paper does not examine centres in third countries that process asylum applications.
    21
    November
    2024
    This manual is designed to be used by workplace inspection staff in the Member States. It is intended to empower them to enforce the protective standards in EU law that safeguard the rights of third-country workers, including seasonal workers, migrant workers with temporary permits and migrants in an irregular situation. Third-country workers are nationals who are not from a Member State or from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.
    29
    October
    2024
    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 2023.
    19
    September
    2024
    This publication guides EU countries on setting up independent monitoring mechanisms to ensure fundamental rights are respected during screening and asylum border procedures. These processes at borders are for people arriving from non-EU countries. Monitoring mechanisms are meant to prevent rights violations, protect victims, and support investigations into any allegations of wrongdoing by public authorities. The guidance highlights the importance of transparency and accountability, which builds trust in public authorities. New EU regulations coming into effect in 2026 will require such monitoring systems to be in place. This updates the guidance published in 2022.
    30
    July
    2024
    Fundamental rights violations on the EU’s land and sea borders often go unreported. Investigations into these violations need to be more effective. This report gathers examples of alleged rights violations of migrants and refugees between 2020 and 2023. It sets out 10 steps to promote prompt and effective national investigations into incidents of ill-treatment at borders.
    1
    August
    2024
    Migrant workers are particularly at risk of labour exploitation. Workplace inspectors play a role in protecting non-EU workers' rights. This report guides inspectors to identify abuse and protect migrant workers. In autumn 2024, FRA will publish a manual with extensive resources to support workplace inspectors.
    1
    July
    2024
    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 the end of May 2024.
    5
    June
    2024
    FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2024 analyses the year’s developments in fundamental rights. It focuses on the most pressing fundamental rights concerns facing Europe in 2023: the cost-of-living crisis, rights concerns at the EU’s external borders and migration, and threats to democracy. Re-structured, this year’s new approach is a shorter and sharper analysis. It also presents FRA’s opinions on these developments, including a summary of the evidence supporting these opinions.
    5
    June
    2024
    The year 2023 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental rights protection. FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2023 reviews developments in the field, identifying both achievements and remaining areas of concern. This publication presents FRA’s opinions on the main developments in the thematic areas covered and a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions. In so doing, it provides a compact but informative overview of the main fundamental rights challenges confronting the EU and its Member States.
    17
    April
    2024
    This booklet is intended to support guardians assigned to children in the asylum procedure. It covers the technical aspects of the legal procedures related to the cross-border movement of such children. This booklet covers only procedures related to international protection. It is part of a series of four practical tools for guardians of unaccompanied children with international protection needs. The objective is to support guardians in their daily tasks and responsibilities during the asylum procedure, including the procedure under the Dublin III regulation and temporary protection. The tools have been developed by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) and FRA.
    31
    January
    2024
    Children’s rights exist to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every child. Improved child protection systems ensure that these rights are met. In recent years, the EU has taken significant steps to improve child protection systems. This mapping of child protection systems gives an overview of the state of such systems at national level and developments since 2015. It promotes the improvement of integrated child protection systems. It is an update of FRA’s mapping of child protection systems in 2015, based on data collected in 2023 in the 27 EU Member States. By publishing this, FRA aims to support securing the sustainable well-being, safety and rights of all children living in the EU.
    18
    December
    2023
    Council of Europe (CoE) and European Union (EU) Member States have an undeniable sovereign right to control the entry of non-nationals into their territory. While carrying out border control, states have a duty to protect fundamental rights of all people under their jurisdiction, regardless of their nationality, status, or age. Children as a category
    of vulnerable persons with special needs require heightened protection.
    In this vlog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty talks about the EU’s response to the war in Ukraine. He argues that it is only if we all work together, with human rights as our roadmap, that we can make our way towards a peaceful future.
    While many volunteers, organisations and EU countries provide help to the many children fleeing Ukraine, challenges and concerns need to be addressed: such as registration and interpretation, guardianship for unaccompanied children, access to education and childcare.
    Overwhelming support for the many people fleeing Ukraine. Volunteers, organisations and EU countries provide support and help at the EU borders.
    FRA looked at the challenging situation and identified fundamental rights risks, such as discrimination.
    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.
    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.
    This video statement by FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty was recorded on 15 October 2020 at the Moria migration facility that was destroyed by fire in September 2020.
    This video statement by FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty was recorded on 14 October 2020 at the temporary facility at Mavrovouni. This temporary camp was built to re-house people after the fire at the Moria migration facility on the island of Lesbos, in Greece.
    Based on the lessons learned from relocation
    experiences and on existing international and EU legal
    standards, FRA has developed a number of practical
    suggestions for the adjustment of relocation efforts to
    the protection needs of unaccompanied children. This
    guidance aims to be a practical tool for Member States
    that wish to engage in the relocation of unaccompanied
    children and in any future responsibility-sharing
    mechanisms, and to gain knowledge on how this can
    be done while respecting the child’s best interests.
    Greece needs solid, sustained support and solidarity as it faces great migration challenges, says FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty after 2 days of meetings in Athens with authorities.
    In this edition Michael O'Flaherty reports back from his visit to the asylum seeker facility in Lesbos and calls for the support of all EU Member States to improve in particular the situation of unaccompanied children.
    In the latest edition of his video blog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty focuses on the migration situation in the Mediterranean Sea and makes three proposals.
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Not all children benefit equally from efforts to guarantee child rights.
    Some groups face particular difficulties.
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Although migrant arrivals to the EU continue to drop, it remains a divisive issue politically and
    across society. Nearly 4 in 10 Europeans think immigration is more of a problem than a solution.
    And nearly a half overestimate the number of irregular migrants in their country.
    Black people in the EU face unacceptable difficulties in getting a decent job because of their skin colour. Racist harassment also remains all too common.
    This infographic illustrates the positive and negative impact on fundamental rights of using large-scale IT systems for security and border management.
    For the past two years, FRA has been visiting reception centres for migrants across the EU.
    FRA provided fundamental rights input to the EU Asylum Agency’s (EUAA) conference on key elements of legal assistance and information sharing in the context of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. The event focused on the pivotal role of accessible legal aid and transparent information-sharing arrangements in the asylum context to ensure the fair and effective implementation of the Pact.
    On 7 October, FRA contributed to a panel discussion on instrumentalisation of migrants along the EU’s Eastern border. It was organised as part of the Senior Officials’ Meeting of the Prague Process.
    On 3 October, the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU, together with the Danish Institute for Human Rights, held a seminar on safeguarding human rights in migration management in EU policy.
    FRA, in cooperation with the UN Refugee Agency and the Frontex Fundamental Rights Office, raised awareness on monitoring obligations and effective investigations regarding allegations of fundamental rights breaches at the EU’s external borders.
    FRA took part in a meeting of the ETIAS Fundamental Rights Guidance Board. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is the new travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers to enter 30 European countries.
    To promote lawful and effective use of the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES) for registering non-EU nationals at external borders, national authorities must implement effective data protection safeguards, provide accurate and accessible information to non-EU nationals, and treat them with dignity and respect. The latest guides from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) will support authorities in implementing the EES in full respect of fundamental rights.
    The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Labour Authority (ELA) have jointly launched a new practical guide to help workplace inspectors to identify and address labour exploitation. The guide will also help workers to claim and enjoy their rights across the European Union.
    FRA attended a meeting organised by the European Commission with EU Member States and relevant EU agencies to discuss the European Annual Asylum and Migration Report. This report is an important element of the European annual asylum and migration cycle, as established under the EU Pact for Migration and Asylum. 
    On 24 September, FRA attended a European Parliament Shadow meeting on the proposed Return Regulation.
    FRA took part in the launch of the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) 2025 results. The index is about enabling participation and inclusive policy in the area of migrant integration in the EU.
    FRA has organised a webinar on its migration and asylum work which took place on 18 September.
    FRA took part in the European Law Enforcement Communicators Conference (ELEC), hosted by Europol on 17–18 September 2025.
    On 9 September, FRA gave online training on fundamental rights in connection with the use of biometrics at an event on vulnerabilities in automated border crossings at Rome Fiumicino airport.
    Allegations of ill-treatment and abuse against migrants and refugees at EU borders continue. Even though more incidents are now raised with judicial authorities, there have been no structural changes to improve the effectiveness of national investigations, finds the latest update from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). The findings underline the need to ensure more effective investigations of rights violations at borders.
    Some non-EU countries increasingly use migrants and refugees to put pressure on the EU and its external borders. As EU countries react by building fences and restricting asylum procedures, a new position paper from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) underlines how countries can deal with such pressures in a legal and legitimate way. It highlights that the EU must respond by punishing the actors responsible for instrumentalisation, rather than migrants and refugees who are often unaware that they are being used.
    FRA presented its guidance on monitoring fundamental rights during screening and the asylum border procedure to a European Parliament Asylum Working Group. The Group is part of the Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.
    FRA attended a European Commission meeting with EU Member States and relevant EU Justice and Home Affairs agencies to discuss the first draft of the European Annual Asylum and Migration Report.
    FRA’s guidance on setting up national independent mechanisms to monitor compliance with fundamental rights during screening and the asylum border procedure  is now also available in more languages. It is now also in Croatian, Czech, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Polish and Spanish.
    FRA took part at a meeting of the ETIAS Fundamental Rights Guidance Board which took place on 25 and 26 June in Warsaw. During the meeting, the Board discussed the methodology of the screening rules, the criteria for the ex-ante assessment of the risk indicators and the 2024 annual report.
    FRA contributed to the training on 23-28 June in Bucharest for Schengen evaluators in the field of return and management of external borders. This is a regular event organised jointly by the European Commission and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex.
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    FRA will take part in the ILO Global conference on its fair recruitment initiative. It will look at the way forward from policy to practice.
    FRA will address the European Committee of the Regions’ Conference on the Integration of Migrants: Unlocking New Opportunities for Cities and Regions.
    FRA will run an online information session on 18 October on FRA’s work on Ukraine.
    FRA will host a joint workshop in Brussels with the European Committee of the Regions on long-term solutions for displaced people from Ukraine.
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    FRA will take part in a contingency plan exercise organised by the Finnish Border Guard in Helsinki and Southeast Finland.
    On 20 September, FRA will take part in a roundtable meeting in Sofia on establishing national independent mechanisms to monitor fundamental rights compliance at EU external borders.
    On 14 July, FRA will welcome members of the European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) from Munich. ELSA is an international association of law students and young lawyers.
    The Council of Europe, EU, and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will host a seminar for European lawyers on European asylum and migration legal practices.
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    FRA will give a presentation on applying good practices to future relocation schemes during a meeting in Malta from 24 to 25 May.
    On 16 May, FRA will speak at HIAS Europe’s ‘The Welcome Circle programme for Ukrainians’ event.
    FRA will talk about European legislation and fundamental rights on issues linked to migration in Europe during a seminar organised by the European Law Students' Association (ELSA) in Italy.
    On 24 March, FRA will welcome a group of students from the University of Szeged’s Faculty of Law and Political Sciences.
    On 17 November, FRA and the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX) will hold its annual dialogue in the European Committee of the Regions.
    On 25 October, FRA will join discussions on the 100th Migration Preparedness and Crisis Blueprint report on the current situation at the EU borders with Ukraine.
    FRA will join the annual general meeting of the European General Council of Refugees and Exiles. It will be part of a workshop on the role of EU agencies in supporting access to asylum.
    FRA Director will speak to the European Parliament about migration and migrant rights on 16 March.
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    FRA will give training to the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) on 9 March and to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) on 14 March.
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    From 20-24 February, FRA will take part in “The week of neighbours” summit.
    On 9 February, FRA will give a virtual presentation to the students of the master course Intercultural communication and European studies at Germany’s Fulda University of Applied Sciences.