This is the second bulletin in FRA’s new quarterly series monitoring the situation of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. It covers key developments and ongoing concerns from 1 April to 30 June 2026.

Following regular reporting on fundamental rights issues related to migration and asylum from 2015 to 2023, FRA resumed the series in 2026 under the EU's 2024 Asylum and Migration Management Regulation, ahead of the June 2026 implementation of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. The first bulletin, published in April 2026, covered developments from 1 January 2025 to 31 March 2026.

From 2015 to 2023, FRA regularly published bulletins on fundamental rights issues related to migration and asylum. As part of the EU's 2024 Asylum and Migration Management Regulation, FRA is now restarting this reporting ahead of the June 2026 implementation of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. This first bulletin in the new series takes stock of the situation of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees as of March 2026. It looks at key developments between January 2025 and the end of March 2026, as well as ongoing problems and new areas of concern.

In response to increased arrivals of asylum seekers, in 2015 the European Commission introduced the hotspot approach. Under this approach, the European Commission and EU agencies supported Greece and Italy in identifying, registering and fingerprinting newly arrived people. FRA regularly visited the initial reception facilities hosting them. This report looks back at the lessons learnt from 10 years of FRA visits. It identifies recurring risks to rights and highlights practical measures and promising practices to prevent or address them. These ‘lessons learnt’ can inform the implementation of the 2024 Pact on Migration and Asylum in line with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

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.

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.

Tyto praktické pokyny pomáhají členským státům EU zřídit nebo určit vnitrostátní nezávislé mechanismy ke sledování dodržování základních práv při prověřování státních příslušníků třetích zemí a při posuzování žádostí o azyl v řízeních na hranicích.

Η παρούσα πρακτική καθοδήγηση έχει ως στόχο να βοηθήσει τα κράτη μέλη της ΕΕ να δημιουργήσουν ή να ορίσουν εθνικούς ανεξάρτητους μηχανισμούς για την παρακολούθηση της τήρησης των θεμελιωδών δικαιωμάτων κατά τον έλεγχο διαλογής των υπηκόων τρίτων χωρών και κατά την εξέταση των αιτήσεων ασύλου στο πλαίσιο των διαδικασιών στα σύνορα.

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.

Esta guía práctica ayuda a los Estados miembros de la Unión Europea (UE) a establecer o designar mecanismos nacionales independientes para supervisar los derechos fundamentales durante el triaje de los nacionales de terceros países y al examinar en las fronteras las solicitudes de asilo.

Nämä käytännön ohjeet auttavat EU:n jäsenvaltioita perustamaan tai nimeämään kansallisia riippumattomia mekanismeja, joilla seurataan perusoikeuksien noudattamista kolmansien maiden kansalaisten seulonnassa ja turvapaikkahakemusten tutkimisessa rajamenettelyissä.

Ove praktične smjernice pomažu državama članicama EU-a u uspostavi ili određivanju nacionalnih neovisnih mehanizama za praćenje poštovanja temeljnih prava tijekom dubinske provjere državljana trećih zemalja i prilikom razmatranja zahtjeva za azil u postupcima na granici.

Ez a gyakorlati iránymutatás segítséget nyújt az EUtagállamoknak abban, hogy független nemzeti mechanizmusokat hozzanak létre vagy jelöljenek ki az alapvető jogok tiszteletben tartásának ellenőrzésére a harmadik országok állampolgárainak előszűrése és a menedékjog iránti kérelmek határ menti eljárások keretében történő vizsgálata során.

I presenti orientamenti pratici aiutano gli Stati membri dell'UE a istituire o designare meccanismi nazionali indipendenti per monitorare il rispetto dei diritti fondamentali durante gli accertamenti dei cittadini di paesi terzi e l'esame delle domande di asilo nelle procedure di frontiera.

Niniejsze praktyczne wytyczne pomagają państwom członkowskim UE w tworzeniu lub wyznaczaniu krajowych niezależnych mechanizmów monitorowania przestrzegania praw podstawowych podczas kontroli przesiewowej obywateli państw trzecich oraz podczas rozpatrywania wniosków o udzielenie azylu w postępowaniach na granicach.