Justice & Home Affairs
Parliament refuses apology for suspended Greek officials
The European Parliament has refused to publish on its English website a press release acknowledging its mistake when it targeted three Greek officials of its Athens branch as part of an administrative inquiry launched in 2018. In early 2018, an...
British MPs vote for new post-Brexit immigration system
British MPs on Monday (18 May) gave their initial backing to legislation ending free movement of workers with the European Union, but the vote was overshadowed by a row over foreign healthcare staff and coronavirus.
Baltics open Europe’s first pandemic ‘travel bubble’ as curbs ease
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia opened their borders to each other at the stroke of midnight, creating the first "travel bubble" within the European Union in a bid to jump-start economies broken down by the coronavirus pandemic.
Fears mount over migrants dying ‘out of sight’ in Mediterranean
More and more migrants are crossing, Europe is closing its ports and no humanitarian ships are carrying out rescues. As the coronavirus pandemic dominates headlines, activists fear the Mediterranean is the scene of an overlooked "tragedy".
LGBTI discrimination still going strong in Europe, warns EU rights body
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersexual people's organisations have denounced a lack of progress in the recognition of sexual minorities rights in the EU ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia on Sunday (17 May).
Jourová: Commission looking at Hungary’s emergency changes to labour code and GDPR
The European Commission is examining Hungary's emergency regime, including government decrees affecting the country's labour code and the application of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Vera Jourová told the European Parliament on Thursday (14 May).
Top EU court says Hungarian ‘transit zone’ amounts to detention
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) said on Thursday (14 May) that holding migrants and asylum seekers in a transit zone is detention, and challengers must have their day in court at least once.
Hungarian detentions evidence of government intimidation, say critics
Two men have been detained since Tuesday (12 May) on suspicion of ‘scaremongering’ after sharing posts critical of the government on Facebook, local media reported.
EPP proposes law to protect small farmers against oligarchs
The European People's Party group called on Wednesday (13 May) for an EU law to prevent oligarchs and land-grabbers drawing on EU subsidies at the expense of small and medium-sized farming businesses. The practice is widespread in countries in Eastern Europe and Italy.
Growing resistance in Germany against quarantine for returnees from abroad
There is growing resistance in German politics and the judiciary against the quarantine obligation for returnees from abroad. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Austria’s Kurz aims to lift border controls to Switzerland by June
Austria aims to ease some border controls with Switzerland within days and to end all controls by June, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz told Swiss broadcaster SRF on Tuesday (12 May), as countries push ahead with loosening COVID-19 restrictions.
Merkel: Germany must help other EU states get back on their feet
Germany must help its European Union neighbours revive their economies after the coronavirus crisis, Chancellor Angela Merkel told a meeting of lawmakers from her conservative bloc on Tuesday (12 May), according to several participants.
Sassoli to Orbán: you are welcome to debate but come in person
European Parliament President David Sassoli has welcomed the Hungarian government's wish to present its point of view during a debate on Budapest's controversial coronavirus law but said Prime Minister Viktor Orbán should personally come to Brussels and take part in the discussions on Thursday (14 May).
France kicks out Bulgarian seasonal workers despite Commission ‘guidelines’
Two groups of seasonal workers arriving in France by plane from Bulgaria have been sent back home by the French airport authorities, despite the European Commission's calls to ensure the freedom of movement of such “critical” personnel.
Coronavirus or not, African migrants push on toward Europe
Many Africans are managing to evade coronavirus lockdown barriers in Niger, the Sahel's migrant crossroads, as they press on with their perilous desert trek to the Mediterranean Sea and ultimately Europe.
Johansson opposes ‘selective’ border openings, hopes for Schengen enlargement
EU must go “back to the future” of open borders after COVID-19 “as soon as possible”, Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson told EU lawmakers on Thursday (7 May) as the European Commission wants member states to start gradually lifting national...
Growing number of Turkish citizens apply for asylum in Germany
Since the attempted coup in Turkey in summer 2016, the number of asylum applications submitted by Turkish citizens in Germany has increased significantly. In 2019, Turkish asylum seekers were the third-most-registered group, after Syrians and Iraqis, according to the country's agency for migration and refugees (BAMF). EURACTIV Germany reports.
Commission proposes pan-European authority to fight against ‘dirty money’
The European Commission outlined on Thursday a series of proposals to bolster the flawed anti-money laundering system in Europe, including a new pan-European authority, following a series of major scandals in Europe.
Hungarian PM Orbán accuses EPP of spreading fake news
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has sent a letter to the party leaders of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), accusing both political opponents and allies of spreading fake news about the Hungarian coronavirus law that enabled his government to rule by decree without set time limits.
Fatnassia camp is a time-bomb that threatens whole of North Africa
The ongoing armed conflict in Libya is going to push thousands of people, now asylum-seekers in Libyan camps, to escape towards the Southern border regions of Tunisia, Medenine and Tataouine, writes Mourad Teyeb. Mourad Teyeb is a journalist and consultant...
Behind medical masks, democracy is being suffocated
In the midst of its EU Council presidency, Croatia turned to the UAE and China for medical help, forgetting its current leadership role as the presiding country that should spur member states into coordinated action, writes Oriana Ivković Novokmet.
France says won’t quarantine EU, Schengen area citizens
France said Sunday (3 May) that it would not quarantine anyone arriving from the EU, the Schengen area or Britain due to the coronavirus, as it prepares to start easing confinement measures after two months of lockdown.
Iran condemns Germany’s ban on Hezbollah activity
Iran has condemned Berlin's ban of Hezbollah activity in Germany and its designation of the Iranian-backed Lebanese group as a terrorist organisation, saying the move serves US and Israeli interests, Iranian state media reported on Friday (1 May).