Asiel, migratie en grenzen

June

2023

Fundamental rights implications for the EU of the war in Ukraine

Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine has resulted in massive internal and external population displacement. The European Union (EU) rapidly activated its Temporary Protection Directive for the first time since it was adopted in 2001. This entitled nearly 4 million people to legal residence and access to work, housing and legal assistance, education and healthcare.

Download full report

Fundamental Rights Report

Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation

June

2023

Fundamental Rights Report 2023

FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2023 reviews major developments in the field in 2022, identifying both achievements and areas of concern. It also presents FRA’s opinions on these developments, including a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions.

Download full report

Gelijkheid, non-discriminatie en racisme

Fundamental Rights Report

Asiel, migratie en grenzen

Gegevensbescherming, privacy en nieuwe technologieën

Rechtspraak, rechten van slachtoffers en justitiële samenwerking

Steun voor mensenrechtensystemen en mensenrechtenverdedigers

June

2023

Verslag over de grondrechten — 2023. FRA-adviezen

Het jaar 2022 kende zowel vooruitgang als tegenslagen bij de bescherming van de grondrechten. In het Verslag over de grondrechten 2023 van FRA worden de belangrijkste ontwikkelingen op het gebied van de grondrechten geëvalueerd en wordt niet alleen ingegaan op de behaalde successen, maar ook gewezen op blijvende punten van zorg. Deze publicatie geeft een overzicht van FRA- adviezen over de belangrijkste ontwikkelingen binnen thematische gebieden en geeft in het kort de feitelijke gegevens weer waarop deze adviezen berusten.

Download full report

The EU flag has city name puzzles and puzzles with the words - migrants

Periodic updates / Series

Access to asylum

Access all migration updates

May

2023

Asylum and migration: Progress achieved and remaining challenges

Over the span of nearly eight years, there have been developments in showing respect for the human rights of those who arrive at the EU’s borders. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has shown how a large and sudden influx of people can be managed effectively and respectfully. Notwithstanding the improvements, the growing number of people crossing or attempting to enter the EU pose a wide range of fundamental rights challenges.

In this bulletin, FRA takes stock of concerns and improvements regarding the fundamental rights of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. It highlights the EU Member States’ legal and practical responses. It identifies key trends, promising practices, long-standing and emerging patterns, and persistent concerns.

Young teenager boy at counseling - talking to the therapy professional, close up

Handbook / Guide / Manual

Child protection

Children, youth and older people

March

2023

Guardianship for unaccompanied children - A manual for trainers of guardians

This manual is designed to help institutions, organisations and individuals to train guardians of unaccompanied children or to deliver ‘train-the-trainers’ courses. It can be used in a range of training contexts, such as professional and academic training, on-the-job training and continuing training. The manual is based on human and fundamental rights principles and ethical standards and recognises that the child and the guardian have their own personal stories, resources and capacities. It enhances guardians’ confidence to promote the child’s rights and best interests. It also enhances their confidence to act independently and impartially in relation to different state
officials, service providers and other community members.

Access the online course

People in Ukrainin colours fleeing war with Russia in search of rights and freedom

Report / Paper / Summary

Access to asylum

Child protection

Trafficking and labour exploitation

February

2023

Fleeing Ukraine: Displaced people’s experiences in the EU

Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine triggered scenes not seen in Europe for decades. It has since caused death, immense destruction, and unspeakable suffering. It also set in motion a mass movement of people not seen since World War II. To protect them, the EU activated the Temporary Protection Directive for the first time. In doing so, all EU Member States must offer protection to those displaced from Ukraine.

Download report on employment barriers

Download bulletins on the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Yellow house with a blue roof under a yellow sun. a child in blue clothes stands nearby and holds a bunch of blue balloons — юлия чубарова © adobestock.com, 2023

Report / Paper / Summary

February

2023

How did cities welcome displaced people from Ukraine?

Many cities throughout the European Union hosted people fleeing Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The EU currently faces the largest displacement of people in Europe since World War II. Since February 2022, over seven million people came to the EU. The arrival of such large numbers of people thrust cities and local governments to the forefront of the EU and its Member States’ relief work. This short publication provides a snapshot of cities’ initiatives to address this humanitarian crisis.

Asiel, migratie en grenzen

Cover of Practical Tool for Guardians - Temporary protection for unaccompanied children fleeing Ukraine

Periodic updates / Series

Kinderbescherming

Irreguliere migratie, terugkeer en immigratiedetentie

November

2022

Praktisch instrument voor voogden - Tijdelijke bescherming voor niet-begeleide kinderen die Oekraïne ontvluchten

Het Asielagentschap van de Europese Unie (EUAA) en het Bureau van de Europese Unie voor de grondrechten (FRA) hebben samengewerkt aan een reeks van praktische instrumenten voor voogden van niet-begeleide kinderen die internationale bescherming nodig hebben. Het doel is voogden te ondersteunen bij hun dagelijkse taken en verantwoordelijkheden tijdens de asielprocedure, waaronder de Dublinprocedure en de tijdelijke bescherming.

Report / Paper / Summary

November

2022

Putting human rights at the heart of Europe’s future - Meeting report

Europe stands at a delicate moment in its history. It is a moment of existential significance for the wellbeing and sustainability of our societies. It is emerging from the pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease, only to face a set of major overlapping challenges. These pose profound questions about the political, economic and societal future of the continent. To discuss elements of a human rights vision for the future and to identify opportunities for action, FRA brought together a group of sixty human rights leaders and experts with diverse backgrounds
from across the continent. This report distils the meeting discussions, including analysis and ideas, and concludes with proposals for action. It does not represent the views either of individual participants or of FRA.

Download summary report

Watch event videos

Periodic updates / Series

Download Ukraine bulletins

October

2022

National legislation implementing the EU Temporary Protection Directive in selected EU Member States (October 2022 update)

The table below gives an overview of certain key aspects in national legislation implementing the EU Temporary Protection Directive.

People demonstrating with Stand with Ukraine banner

Periodic updates / Series

Trafficking and labour exploitation

Access to asylum

Child protection

October

2022

The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine ― The broad fundamental rights impact in the EU - Bulletin 2

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. The European Union’s rapid response, activating the EU Temporary Protection Directive, offered welcome relief and much-needed support to those in need. It allowed displaced persons the opportunity to quickly settle and to work, travel and access services across the EU. But other pressing human rights issues have come to the fore and remain high on the EU’s agenda, such as human trafficking, sexual and gender-based violence, hate crime and hate-fuelled disinformation.

Download bulletin 1

Download findings of survey on displaced people from Ukraine

Borders and information systems

EU flag as ribbon behind a couple at border control

Handbook / Guide / Manual

Download latest version of guidance

October

2022

Establishing national independent mechanisms to monitor fundamental rights compliance at EU external borders

** As of 19 September 2024 a new version of this guidance has been issued. Please see the link below. **

Fundamental rights monitoring at EU external borders should be systematically and regularly carried out for a range of border management activities. These include border surveillance, apprehensions at land, sea and air borders, and the operation of referral mechanisms, including in the event of mass arrivals. This general guidance provides assistance to EU Member States in setting up national independent mechanisms to monitor fundamental rights compliance at EU external borders, in line with the proposed screening regulation of 23 September 2020 by the European Commission. The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights prepared this guidance at the request of the Commission.

Putting human rights at the heart of Europe’s future - Rust, Austria, 7-8 September

Report / Paper / Summary

September

2022

Putting human rights at the heart of Europe’s future - Summary meeting report

Europe stands at a delicate moment in its history, facing a convergence of major tests. Each of them taken on their own is significant. Together, they pose profound questions about the political, economic, and societal future of the continent. This is a moment for strong commitment to put human rights at the heart of our vision for Europe’s future. It is also time to demonstrate our determination to work together to this end. Against this backdrop, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) brought together around sixty human rights leaders and experts from across the continent to discuss elements of a human rights vision for the future and to identify opportunities for action. A full conference report will be available soon, including the specific ideas and proposals which arose from the meeting. Meanwhile, this is a summary of the conclusions.

Irregular migration, return and immigration detention

Read Director's speech

Periodic updates / Series

September

2022

Forced return monitoring systems - 2022 update

Since 2014, FRA has been publishing an annual update of the forced return monitoring systems EU Member States have set up under Article 8 (6) of the EU’s Return Directive (2008/115/EC). This overview describes different indicators for an effective forced return monitoring system. It includes the organisation responsible for monitoring forced return, the number of operations monitored in 2021, the phases of monitored return operations, the number of staff trained and working as monitors, and whether the monitoring body issued public reports about their monitoring.

Page

10 August 2022

Promoting FRA’s survey of people fleeing the war in Ukraine

On 23 August, FRA will begin collecting the views and experiences of people fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Page

Welcoming displaced people

08 August 2022

Fundamental rights and the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine

As the Russian war of agresssion continues in Ukraine, EU countries are welcoming and supporting unprecedented numbers of people fleeing the war to seek safety in the EU. This has serious implications for many fundamental rights within the EU. FRA is looking at current and potential fundamental rights challenges. It seeks to assist the EU and its Member States find sustainable solutions. Below you can find some of the work being carried out.

‘Fleeing Ukraine’ report

Bulletins

Videos

Temporary protection

Periodic updates / Series

August

2022

National legislation implementing the EU Temporary Protection Directive in selected EU Member States (August 2022 update)

The information provided gives an overview of selected aspects in national legislation implementing the EU Temporary Protection Directive.

Download bulletin 1

Video

Borders and information systems

24 June 2022

Video blog by Michael O'Flaherty: The EU’s response to the war in Ukraine

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.

Map of search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean up to June 2022

Report / Paper / Summary

Get all updates on SAR operations in the Mediterranean

June

2022

June 2022 Update – Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in the Mediterranean and fundamental rights

The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) 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 on any difficulties in disembarking migrants in safe ports. The International Organization for Migration estimates that from January to 15 June 2022 about 842 people died or went missing while crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe to escape war or persecution, or to pursue a better life. This is an average of five people per day.

Fundamental Rights Report

Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation

June

2022

Fundamental Rights Report 2022

FRA’s Fundamental Rights Report 2022 reviews major developments in the field in 2021, identifying both achievements and areas of concern. It also presents FRA’s opinions on these developments, including a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions.

Download focus chapter