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.

EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

Highlights

  • Handbook / Guide / Manual
    1
    August
    2024

    ​Six points for workplace inspectors – EU law safeguards for non-EU workers ​

    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.
    Read news item
    Download training manual
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    30
    July
    2024

    Guidance on investigating alleged ill-treatment at borders

    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.
    Read news item
  • Periodic updates / Series
    1
    July
    2024

    Search and rescue operations and fundamental rights - June 2024 update

    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.
    Read news item
  • Handbook / Guide / Manual
    17
    December
    2020

    Handbook on European law relating to asylum, borders and immigration - Edition 2020

    The European Convention on Human Rights and European Union law provide an increasingly important framework for the protection of the rights of foreigners. European Union legislation relating to asylum, borders and immigration is developing fast. There is an impressive body of case law by the European Court of Human Rights relating in particular to Articles 3, 5, 8 and 13 of the ECHR. The Court of Justice of the European Union is increasingly asked to pronounce on the interpretation of European Union law provisions in this field. The third edition of this handbook, updated up to July 2020, presents this European Union legislation and the body of case law by the two European courts in an accessible way.
Products
Periodic updates / Series
Asylum, migration and borders
26
March
2018

Periodic data collection on the migration situation in the EU - March 2018 Highlights

In view of the increasing numbers of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants entering the EU, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has been collecting relevant data since September 2015. These focus on the fundamental rights situation of people arriving in Member States particularly affected by large migration movements. The countries covered are: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden.
Infographic
Asylum, migration and borders

EU IT systems, biometrics and human rights

This infographic illustrates the positive and negative impact on fundamental rights of using large-scale IT systems for security and border management.
Periodic updates / Series
Asylum, migration and borders
26
February
2018

Periodic data collection on the migration situation in the EU - February 2018 Highlights

In view of the increasing numbers of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants entering the EU, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has been collecting relevant data since September 2015. These focus on the fundamental rights situation of people arriving in Member States particularly affected by large migration movements. The countries covered are: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden.
Video
Asylum, migration and borders

Video blog by Michael O'Flaherty: Five migration issues that need urgent action

For the past two years, FRA has been visiting reception centres for migrants across the EU.
Report / Paper / Summary
Asylum, migration and borders
5
February
2018

Current migration situation in the EU: Impact on local communities (update)

This focus report assesses how the presence of
large numbers of persons in need of international
protection affects local communities in terms of
housing, education, the local economy and social
responses.
Report / Paper / Summary
Asylum, migration and borders
5
February
2018

Migration to the EU: five persistent challenges

EU Member States’ legal and practical responses to migrants and refugees implicate several of their fundamental rights, as enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (EU). The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has regularly reported on these issues since September 2015. This report highlights key trends and persistent concerns between October 2016 and December 2017. It focuses on five areas: access to territory, reception conditions, asylum procedures, unaccompanied children and immigration detention.
Report / Paper / Summary
Children, youth and older people
Asylum, migration and borders
Child protection
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
16
January
2018

Guardianship systems for children deprived of parental care in the European Union - Summary

Guardians are a key element of a protection system for children who are temporarily or
permanently deprived of their family environment and cannot have their interests represented
by their parents. Great disparities exist between the types of guardianship provided
to children in and within European Union (EU) Member States. This report explores the key
features of guardianship systems put in place to cater for the needs of all children in need
of protection, including child victims and those at risk of becoming victims of trafficking in
human beings or of other forms of exploitation.
Easy-to-read report
Asylum, migration and borders
3
January
2018

Together in the European Union (Easy read)

More than 20 million immigrants lived in the European Union in 2016. This means that 1 person in 25 was an immigrant. Having more immigrants and refugees makes it even more important for the governments to have plans to help them to integrate.
Data explorer
Racial and ethnic origin
Asylum, migration and borders
Legal migration and integration
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Hate crime
Religion and belief
Roma
04 December 2017

Survey on Minorities and Discrimination in EU (2016)

This survey involved interviews with 25,515 people with different ethnic minority and immigrant backgrounds across 28 EU countries. It explores issues concerning discrimination as well as experiences of harassment, hate-motivated violence and discriminatory profiling.
Infographic
Hate crime
Asylum, migration and borders
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Racial and ethnic origin
Religion and belief
Roma

Discrimination: Experiences from immigrants and ethnic minorities across the EU

This infographic illustrates the main experiences immigrants and ethnic minorities across the EU have when it comes to discrimination. It draws from the findings from FRA's EU-MIDIS II survey.
Infographic
Hate crime
Asylum, migration and borders
Legal migration and integration
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Racial and ethnic origin
Religion and belief
Roma

Victimisation: experiences from immigrants and ethnic minorities across the EU

This infographic illustrates the main experiences immigrants and ethnic minorities across the EU have when it comes to victimisation. It draws from the findings from FRA's EU-MIDIS II survey.
Infographic
Hate crime
Asylum, migration and borders
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Roma

Inclusion: Experiences from immigrants and ethnic minorities across the EU

This infographic illustrates the main experiences immigrants and ethnic minorities across the EU have when it comes to inclusion. It draws from the findings from FRA's EU-MIDIS II survey.
Report / Paper / Summary
Children, youth and older people
Asylum, migration and borders
Child protection
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
20
November
2017

Mapping minimum age requirements concerning the rights of the child in the EU

International treaties, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, European Union (EU) secondary law and national legislation provide a number of rights to citizens. The maps and tables presented show the various patterns concerning age requirements for children to acquire rights in the EU. They also identify inconsistencies, protection gaps and restrictions deriving from different age thresholds. The reference period was until April 2016. Any legislative developments since then have been included whenever relevant or if known.
Report / Paper / Summary
Asylum, migration and borders
22
September
2017

Current migration situation in the EU: Oversight of reception facilities

This report assesses to which extent selected EU Member States have put
in place mechanisms to ensure appropriate oversight and control of quality
standards in reception facilities. Such oversight and control is essential for
providing dignified and fundamental rights-compatible living conditions
for asylum seekers.
Opinion
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Asylum, migration and borders
Borders and information systems
Borders and information systems
11
July
2017

The impact on fundamental rights of the proposed Regulation on the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)

The European Parliament requested this FRA Opinion on the fundamental rights and personal data protection implications of the proposed Regulation for the creation of a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), including an assessment of the fundamental rights aspects of the access
by law enforcement authorities and Europol.
Report / Paper / Summary
Borders and information systems
Asylum, migration and borders
Data protection, privacy and new technologies
Borders and information systems
Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation
Judicial cooperation and rule of law
Security
7
July
2017

Fundamental rights and the interoperability of EU information systems: borders and security

Various proposals on EU-level information systems in the areas of borders and security mention interoperability, aiming to provide fast and easy access to information about third-country nationals.
Video
Asylum, migration and borders
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Children, youth and older people

Is Europe doing enough to protect fundamental rights? - the children's perspective - Event summary

The Agency, in close cooperation with the Maltese Presidency of the EU Council, held a high-level symposium where the fundamental rights issues that are currently high on the EU’s political agenda were discussed.
Video
Asylum, migration and borders
Children, youth and older people

Children’s perspectives on migration and asylum

Listen to what children say about the situation of people, particularly children, residing in the European Union, who needed to flee from their home country or left their country of birth for any other reason and what they suggest to implement change.
Report / Paper / Summary
Asylum, migration and borders
23
June
2017

Current migration situation in the EU: Community policing

This report outlines examples of community policing measures in select EU Member State regions and localities with recently arrived asylum seekers and migrants. It focuses on four main issues: 1) community policing, 2) related police training, 3) community involvement (for example: consultations; giving voice to the concerns of local communities; police involvement in local responses to concerns), and 4) crime prevention activities.

Report / Paper / Summary
Irregular migration, return and immigration detention
Asylum, migration and borders
Child protection
Equality, non-discrimination and racism
Children, youth and older people
22
June
2017

European legal and policy framework on immigration detention of children

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.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Legal migration and integration

FRA joins discussions the rights of long-term EU residents

On 30 November, FRA presented key findings from its research on the fundamental rights of long-term residents in the EU.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders

FRA at the Frontex Management Board meeting

FRA and the Consultative Forum attended the Frontex Management Board meeting.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Legal migration and integration

How EU countries apply the EU Temporary Protection Directive updated

FRA compiled an overview of key aspects of national laws implementing the EU Temporary Protection Directive in nine EU Member States.
Read country information
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Borders and information systems

Supporting the European Travel Information and Authorisation System

The first meeting of the ETIAS Fundamental Rights Guidance Board took place on 14 November.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Access to asylum

Civil society meets the EU Asylum Agency

The first meeting of the Consultative Forum of the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) took place in Malta on 10 November.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders

FRA's Ukraine bulletin presented to Council of the EU

FRA presented and discussed its second bulletin on the fundamental rights impact of the Russian aggression against Ukraine at the Working Party on Fundamental Rights, Citizens' Rights and Free Movement of Persons (FREMP).
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders

European Migration Network holds Steering Board meeting

On 27 October, FRA took part in a meeting of the European Migration Network (EMN) Steering Board.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders

10-year anniversary conference of the European Network on Statelessness

FRA attended the launch conference of the European Network on Statelessness’ Stateless Journeys campaign.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Irregular migration, return and immigration detention

Europe-wide legal training looks at search and rescue at sea

FRA was a panellist in back-to-back workshops at this year’s advanced course on international protection in Europe.
See FRA's SAR update
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Trafficking and labour exploitation

European Platform on undeclared work

FRA contributed to the plenary meeting of the European Platform tackling undeclared work.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Borders and information systems

Frontex Consultative Forum on fundamental rights

FRA co-chaired the Frontex Consultative Forum meeting together with the UN Refugee Agency.
People demonstrating with Stand with Ukraine banner
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Access to asylum
Borders and information systems
Child protection
Irregular migration, return and immigration detention
Legal migration and integration
Trafficking and labour exploitation

Russian war of aggression against Ukraine: how it affects fundamental rights in the EU

The Russian invasion of Ukraine triggered solidarity from EU governments, local authorities and society as they welcomed more than 7 million people fleeing the aggression. With fundamental rights ensured by law, practical challenges remain. The latest Ukraine bulletin from the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) explores the broad fundamental rights implications of the war within the EU, and its consequences for every single EU Member State.
Download bulletin
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Access to asylum
Legal migration and integration

European Migration Network discussion on the Temporary Protection Directive

On 13 October, FRA spoke about the Temporary Protection Directive during a conference in Cyprus organised by the European Migration Network (EMN).
EU flag as ribbon behind a couple at border control
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Borders and information systems

8 key requirements for monitoring fundamental rights at EU external borders

An integral part of managing the EU’s external borders is respect for people’s fundamental rights. A new guidance from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) suggests how EU countries should set up independent national schemes to monitor fundamental rights compliance at the EU’s external borders.
Get the guidance
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Borders and information systems

Border monitoring guidance presented to National Preventive Mechanisms

FRA presented its forthcoming guidance on setting up national independent border monitoring mechanisms at the 2022 European Conference of National Preventive Mechanisms.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Trafficking and labour exploitation

The importance of professional confidentiality

On 19 September, FRA took part in an online meeting organised by PICUM.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Data protection, privacy and new technologies

Digital technologies and fundamental rights at migration and integration conference

FRA joined the final conference of the easyRights project.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Borders and information systems

Schengen evaluation training on fundamental rights

FRA gave training on fundamental rights issues in Schengen evaluations from 26 to 27 September.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Borders and information systems

ETIAS fundamental rights training

FRA provided fundamental rights training for ETIAS national units in Warsaw.
News Item
Asylum, migration and borders
Borders and information systems

Fundamental rights training for Europol officers

On 20 September, FRA gave a presentation on fundamental rights for Europol’s guest officers who will be deployed in Greece and Cyprus.