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Fundamental rights concerns at EU borders remain

Sign pointing to the European Union
studio v-zwoelf © adobestock.com, 2021
Allegations for the treatment of migrants at EU borders and difficult conditions in detention and reception centres remain a persistent concern, finds the latest migration bulletin from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).

There are allegations of migrants being turned away at some of the EU’s land and sea borders without an opportunity to apply for international protection as well as heavy-handed treatment by authorities in some instances.

Other issues concerning fundamental rights, affected also by measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, include:

  • Housing migrants on quarantine vessels instead of disembarking them at ports after they were rescued at sea.
  • Overuse of immigration detention.
  • Difficult conditions in detention and reception centres and camps in some countries. Overcrowding, and access to clean water and sanitation remain an issue.

Placing asylum-seeking children, unaccompanied or with families, in detention facilities or restricting their free movement.

This migration bulletin covers 1 January until 30 June 2021.

FRA regularly collects data on migration since September 2015.

Access previous migration quarterly reports >>