About: asylum policy
Political scientist: Germans are used to V4’s strong “No” from time to time
The EU's stand on migration policy is moving towards the demands of the Visegrad group, one of the best functioning groups in the bloc, says Dr Kai-Olaf Lang, adding that in many respects, Germany and V4 are much closer to each other today than Germany and France.
EU raps Hungary for ‘Stop Soros’ law, steps up legal battle
The European Commission yesterday (19 July) stepped up a legal battle with Hungary over EU migration rules and denounced as illegal its "Stop Soros" law that criminalises support for asylum seekers.
Austrian far-right minister doubles down on asylum reform plans
Austria's hardline interior minister Herbert Kickl said yesterday (10 July) he would push to change the EU's migration policy to make it impossible to make asylum requests on European soil.
Four major EU countries in favour of joint asylum policy for refugees -poll
In a wide-ranging opinion poll on migration led by Avaaz, the citizens of four major EU countries overwhelmingly said they were in favour of solidarity and a joint European asylum policy for refugees.
Bulgaria under fire for ill-treatment of asylum-seekers
French lawyers will file a complaint against Bulgaria and ask the European Commission to start an infringement procedure for inhumane treatment of asylum seekers by the country’s authorities, the Green/EFA group announced on Tuesday (26 June).
EU summit to focus on lowering Mediterranean immigration
European Union leaders meeting over migration later this week will agree to further tighten their external borders, give more support to Libya and look at creating "disembarkation" centres outside of their territory for people who arrive by sea.
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.
Conte and Macron compare notes on migration at mini-summit
Sixteen EU heads of state and government held an emergency summit in Brussels on Sunday (24 June) to discuss migration - a crisis with a destructive potential for the EU. No results were announced, but sources said the discussions had largely revolved around a proposal by Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.
France’s asylum reform at odds with European law
Following a week of debates, French deputies adopted the controversial draft law on asylum and immigration in its first reading. However, some of the provisions could be contrary to European law on the matter. EURACTIV.fr reports.
France’s lower house approves controversial bill to tighten asylum rules
France’s lower house approved by a large majority on Sunday (22 April) a bill that would tighten asylum rules and make punishable by one year in jail the illegal crossing of borders, after tense debates that created the first cracks within President Emmanuel Macron’s party.
EU officials fear new wave of migrants after Greek court ruling
A top Greek court ruled on Wednesday (18 April) that migrants landing on Greek islands should no longer be held there while asylum claims are assessed, a decision raising alarm among EU officials in Brussels.
Ankara presses Prague to extradite Kurdish leader
The Turkish government wants the Czech authorities to extradite a Syrian Kurdish leader detained this weekend at Ankara's request to face terror charges in Turkey, it said on Sunday (25 February).
Only 16% of asylum seekers in Greece to be sent to Turkey, despite EU deal
Only "16% of asylum seekers" who have arrived in Greece are likely to be sent to Turkey despite a controversial EU deal, the former head of Greece's asylum service said Sunday.
Arrivals surge on Greek islands despite EU-Turkey deal
With Turkey being one of the items on the agenda of the EU summit starting on Thursday (19 October), AFP is reporting that migrants are still coming to Greek islands despite the EU-Turkey deal to stem the arrival of refugees from Turkish territory.
Commission moves from mandatory refugee relocations to voluntary resettlement
The Commission on Wednesday (27 September) made no proposals to continue with the divisive mandatory refugee relocation system and instead focused on resettlement, which means taking candidate refugees from outside the EU, on a non-mandatory basis.
Estonian ambassador: Trump is right, Europe should pay for own defence
Estonian Ambassador to Poland Harri Tiido explained the priorities of his country’s EU Presidency and talked about the current challenges facing Europe, in an interview with EURACTIV.pl.
Opinion leaders identify seven pillars for ‘better’ EU action
CIVICO-Europa, an informal group set up by opinion leaders and later supported by politicians, presented today (20 March) a manifesto for the future of Europe, based on “doing much better together”, rather than the traditional way of “doing more”.
Hungary ready to build another fence on southern border
Hungary is ready to build a second line of fencing on its southern border to keep out migrants if the situation worsens this year or next, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's chief of staff said on Thursday (9 February).
EESC wants resettlement to be uncoupled from partnership agreements
The European Economic and Social Committee sees it as its duty to remind EU member states and the international community of their responsibility towards people in need of international protection, writes Christian Moos.
Council of Europe calls on Slovenia to amend new migrant law
The Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights organisation, called on Slovenia's parliament to reject some legal changes affecting migrants that the government proposed earlier in January in a set of amendments.
Asylum seekers in Europe will be sent back to Greece starting March 2017
The European Commission on Thursday (8 December) said that EU countries could resume returning asylum seekers to Greece in March 2017, after such transfers were suspended for five years because of poor conditions there.
Maltese Presidency unveils logo, priorities
Malta, which will take over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 January 2017, has unveiled its logo and priorities, its overarching objective being to restore trust in the Union.
Alarm over effectiveness of EU-Turkey refugee deal grows in Brussels
Some seven months after the European Union and Turkey struck an agreement to turn back the tide of Syrians fleeing west, very few refugees have been sent back from Greece, and Brussels is losing its patience as overcrowded camps grow violent.