Justice & Home Affairs

Northern Africa: Europe’s new border guard?

As another EU summit gets underway, Leïla Bodeux and Davide Gnes wonder what values Europeans are willing to give up in order to stop migration.  

Solidarity vs ‘securitarian obsessions’

The sudden and substantial increase of migrants’ flow to Europe over the last years has produced a severe political and identity crisis within the EU, a crisis that risks undermining its basic principles and values, and fostering the rise of xenophobic nationalism, writes the Progressive Caucus of the European Parliament.

Religion should not be used to sow divisions

In recent years, many thousands have died and millions more had to flee their homes due to conflicts in which religion has been used to justify discrimination and violence. Countering these dangerous distortions is one of the challenges that religious leaders will address in Astana on 10 and 11 October, writes Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

In May 2019, Europe will vote on migration

Shortly after settling in at La Moncloa, Spain's new prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, welcomed the ship Aquarius after it was rejected by the Italian government. But a few months later, his immigration policy changed, writes Beatriz Becerra.

What to do with rejected asylum seekers?

As the EU considers tougher rules for returning asylum seekers who had their application rejected, more people might be placed in detention and the possibility of voluntary return could be limited, writes Anna Lundberg.

The importance of safeguarding spouse work authorisation

In the past two decades, there has been a steady increase in the number of countries enabling work authorisation for partners and spouses of highly-skilled employees on international assignment. This positive international trend has resulted in a ‘triple-win’ for governments, employers and families, writes Helen Frew.

The Sargentini Report: A Christian dilemma

More than ever, Europe’s democratic values are under threat and the political developments in Hungary perfectly illustrate that. Hence the importance of this week's vote on Hungary in the European Parliament, writes Giulio Ercolessi.

Geert Wilders wins, Muslims lose in latest Prophet Mohammed cartoon furore

Geert Wilders is back in the headlines, thanks to a controversial Prophet Mohammed cartoon competition, which has caused a furore in Pakistan. But the race for Europe's toughest anti-Muslim politician has several other contestants, writes Shada Islam.

Inclusion of youth is key to averting a shift towards violence

Public authorities in Europe and elsewhere need to engage with young people and take their feeling of being excluded from economic, social and political life seriously if they want to tackle urban violence effectively, writes Scott Weber.

Migration can only be tackled by the EU as a whole

Without a shared EU foreign policy, the notion of halting future migration waves is unrealistic, write Ilhan Kyuchyuk and Samuel Doveri Vesterbye. Ilhan Kyuchyuk MEP (Bulgaria) is ALDE Vice President and Member of the European Parliament; Samuel Doveri Vesterbye is...

EU must respond firmly to Tehran terror plot on European soil

The EU’s eagerness to further unconditional engagements with Iran seems to have only made Europe more vulnerable to state sponsored terrorism, writes Alejo Vidal-Quadras.

Turkey and the migration crisis: a positive example for the Transatlantic community

Supposedly illiberal Turkey has set a powerful and positive example for upholding one of the most central of humanitarian values: providing shelter, opportunity, and hope to some of the world’s most vulnerable people, writes Matthew Bryza.

EU’s soft power to improve human rights in Morocco

Morocco has made significant progress on a number of human rights issues since the revision of its Constitution in 2011 and the creation of the National Council of Human Rights (CNDH) in 2012, but the EU must continue using its soft power to help Rabat take up other sensitive issues, writes Willy Fautré.

The end of EU migration policy

The recent EU mini-summit on migration held on 24 June has reaffirmed more openly than ever before, the fundamental dissensions and schism among member states, if not among EU institutions themselves, in the field of migration and asylum policy. A two-speed EU migration policy would be the best solution to keep EU unity, writes Solon Ardittis.

Time to adopt the Equal Treatment Directive

According to a 2015 Eurobarometer survey, around 12% of people in Europe consider themselves at risk of discrimination. In fact, any person in Europe could potentially fall victim to this injustice, write Birgit Van Hout and Tena Šimonović Einwalter.

If we fail to reform the Dublin Regulation, everybody loses – especially children

If European leaders won't agree on a working intra-European solidarity mechanism, Europe's free movement zone will be at risk and many more children will lose their lives trying to reach safety and shelter in Europe, writes Karen Mets.

World Refugee Day, a reminder for EU leaders that reforming the migration system is urgent

Millions are fleeing war or persecution worldwide. As we commemorate their strength and courage on World Refugee Day, we try to be calm quoting the record high number of 68.5 million displaced people – 3 million higher than the total population of the UK – 25.4 million refugees, 40 million internally displaced and 3.1 million asylum seekers, writes Luca Jahier.

Redefining the elements for successful integration

Migration is here to stay. Acknowledging voting rights and political participation of migrants are necessary aspects of a democratic society, writes Yves Leterme.  

Abolish Dublin Regulation for a humane asylum system built on solidarity

The European Parliament and the Council will soon negotiate a revision of the Dublin regulation, concerning the EU's asylum system. This is an opportunity for the EU to develop a more humane system based on objective criteria, and for every member state to take its share of responsibility, writes Cornelia Ernst.

Ireland’s Yes vote ushers in a new era for women’s rights in Europe

EU institutions should be emboldened to take concrete actions to defend reproductive freedom across the whole of Europe after Irish citizens voted massively in favour of repealing the country’s abortion ban, writes Caroline Hickson.

Strengthening workers’ voice, legal certainty for future Social Europe

A vital social democracy will play a decisive role in shaping the future of the European Union. The goal of a united Europe, contractually agreed by all EU member states, is to promote participatory democracy, writes Norbert Kluge.

A genuine right to challenge EU decisions in court

The European Union needs to stand up for environmental democracy and provide access to justice – to ensure respect for the rule of law, to maintain its environmental leadership, and to restore its legitimacy, warns Anaïs Berthier.