At least 852 people died or went missing on migration routes to Europe between July and September 2026. Meanwhile, concerns persist over accountability for alleged rights violations at EU borders and the protection of children arriving in the EU, according to FRA’s latest Migration and fundamental rights bulletin. The bulletin also finds that independent fundamental rights monitoring under the EU Migration and Asylum Pact is still being established. Support for people fleeing Ukraine remains uneven across Member States.
FRA’s third Migration and Fundamental Rights Bulletin for 2026 reports on the dangers people face on their journeys to Europe and on alleged rights violations at EU borders. It also reviews the recent events in Ceuta, the ongoing restrictions on search and rescue organisations, the rights of people fleeing Ukraine and the implementation of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact.
The bulletin highlights several key developments:
- Deaths on migration routes remain high. Between 1 July and 30 September 2026, at least 852 people died or went missing in the Mediterranean and on the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands, according to the International Organization for Migration. The highest numbers were recorded on the West Africa-Atlantic route (283), followed by the Western Mediterranean (229), the Eastern Mediterranean (199) and the Central Mediterranean (141). Effective search and rescue, and safe disembarkation remain essential to preventing further loss of life.
- Events in Ceuta put fundamental rights at the EU’s external borders to the test. More than 72,000 people entered Ceuta irregularly from Morocco on 30 July, according to Spain’s Minister of the Interior. Media reports indicated that at least 88 people died while attempting to cross by swimming. Fundamental rights concerns in this case include risks to the right to life, alleged unnecessary use of force against those arriving in Ceuta, inadequate reception conditions and child protection issues.
- Children arriving at EU borders need effective protection. Screening and asylum procedures under the EU Migration and Asylum Pact must ensure that children are identified promptly that their specific needs are assessed, and that they receive appropriate protection from the outset.
- Accountability for rights violations at borders remains a concern. Between 2020 and 2025, 12 EU Member States opened at least 322 preliminary criminal investigations into alleged fundamental rights violations at borders, but only nine resulted in convictions, according to FRA’s October 2026 update on EU-mandated fundamental rights monitoring and investigations. FRA also recorded 192 disciplinary investigations, none of which concluded with sanctions in 2025. The agency warns that ineffective investigations risk creating a perception of impunity and undermining the rule of law.
- Fundamental rights monitoring under the Migration and Asylum Pact is still under development. Since the Pact entered into force in June 2026, Member States have been required to establish an independent body to monitor compliance with fundamental rights during the screening of third-country nationals and the examination of asylum claims at the external borders. By the end of September 2026, 22 EU Member States had designated the monitoring body or had corresponding draft legislation under adoption – all except for Hungary, Italy, Malta, Poland, and Sweden. Monitoring visits had taken place in only seven Member States.
- Rights for people fleeing Ukraine remains uneven. The scope, level and conditions of support as well as the access to alternative legal status for people displaced from Ukraine differ across EU Member States. Men with military obligations in Ukraine are excluded from the latest extension of temporary protection. They may still apply for asylum and the refusal to perform military service can, in certain circumstances, justify a protection claim.
The EU Migration and Asylum Pact has applied in full since 12 June 2026. Member States must put its safeguards into practice in line with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
FRA’s quarterly Migration Bulletin covers the period from July to September 2026 and serves to inform the European Commission's assessment of the migratory situation and related pressures on Member States.