About: Dimitris Avramopoulos
Commission ‘aware’ of increase of migrants to Greece, Bulgaria
The European Commission said on Tuesday (24 September) it was aware of the recent increase of migrants coming illegally from Turkey into EU members Bulgaria and Greece but dismissed any immediate plans for a possible new migration deal with Ankara.
Rescued Ocean Viking people to disembark in Malta, reallocate to six EU countries
After fourteen days stranded at sea, the 356 people rescued by charity boat Ocean Viking will be allowed Malta, following an agreement on Friday (23 August) between La Valetta and six EU member states.
EU coalition of the willing agrees new migrant ‘solidarity mechanism’
Fourteen member countries of the European Union have agreed to a new "solidarity mechanism" proposed by Germany and France to allocate migrants across the bloc, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday (22 July).
Cyprus flags new migratory route facilitated by Turkey
Cyprus is seeing a major increase in the number of migrants from third countries arriving from Turkey, with the tacit approval of Ankara, Cypriot interior minister, Constantinos Petrides, told a group of Brussels journalists on Thursday (27 June).
Frontex launches first joint operation outside EU, in Albania
The European Union's border agency Frontex said it had launched Tuesday (22 May) in Albania its first-ever joint operation outside the bloc's territory.
EU institutions at loggerheads over online terrorist content
MEPs are seeking to "delay and time-out" the adoption of the regulation against online terrorist content, the EU's security chief Julian King said on Wednesday (21 March). His comments came as the Commission criticised online platforms for dragging their feet in removing graphic video footage following the Christchurch attacks.
No agreement on asylum possible before EU elections, EU member states admit
EU interior minister on Thursday (7 March) failed to conclude the overhaul of the EU’s migration policy. This means that under the Juncker Commission no further progress could be expected on a dossier expected to take center stage at the European elections.
Crisis over, crisis continues
The migration crisis in Europe is over. According to the statistics, at least. The political crisis over how and whether to reform the bloc's immigration and asylum rules remains as deadlocked as ever.
Greek Commissioner breaks with EU line on North Macedonia name deal
Dimitris Avramopoulos, the EU's migration Commissioner, made a statement on 23 January opposing the historic name change deal between Athens and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), the so-called Prespa Agreement, due to be ratified this week in the Greek parliament.
Juncker Commission gives up on Dublin asylum reform
Faced with the opposition of member states from the Visegrad group, the Juncker Commission made it plain on Tuesday (4 December) that it has given up on one of its declared goals: completing the reform of the Common European Asylum System.
Deputy PM, minister and MEP named in Bulgaria’s cash-for-passport scam
EXCLUSIVE: A deputy prime minister, a minister and a Bulgarian MEP are allegedly responsible for illegally selling Bulgarian passports to foreigners, according to claims made by a whistleblower who provided a bundle of documents that appeared to confirm the accusation.
Greece vows to improve conditions on island hotspots
Greece's migration minister on Tuesday (18 September) pledged to improve living conditions for migrants in camps on islands in the Aegean Sea, where he said arrivals had doubled this summer.
Avramopoulos in Spain to announce further EU support to tackle migration
As Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos headed to Madrid, the European Commission announced Friday (3 August) further 3 million in emergency aid to support Spanish border guards in curbing irregular migration.
EU to deploy border guards in Macedonia to curb migrants
The European Union said it struck a deal on Wednesday (18 July) with Macedonia to deploy border guards to the non-EU Balkan state to help cope with any migrant surges. Serbia and Bosnia are expected to follow.
EU still seeking June deal on refugee plan, says bloc’s migration chief
The EU is still hoping to convince Hungary and Poland to sign up to an elusive agreement on migration and refugee resettlement, the bloc’s Migration commissioner has said.
No, the EU Commission has not given up on ‘mass immigration’
Contrary to claims seen on some far-right websites, the EU Commissioner for migration, Dimitris Avramopoulos, does not believe that "mass immigration" is unstoppable. EURACTIV.com looks into the allegations as part of the "Fact or fake" series, in partnership with France 24.
EU adds pressure on online platforms with plan for fast removal of terrorist content
Online platforms should remove posts promoting terrorism within one hour after receiving complaints, according to a draft European Commission document that leaked on Tuesday (13 February).
Commission lobbies for police access to website owners list
The European Commission has suggested that law enforcement authorities could soon have restricted access to the WHOIS database that identifies website owners because the system is on a collision course with the EU’s strict new data protection law.
EU struggles to settle refugee quotas row by June
EU ministers yesterday (25 January) started their countdown toward overhauling their asylum rules by a June deadline but struggled to settle a row over refugee quotas that has dogged them since the migration crisis erupted in 2015.
Mayor of Gaziantep: EU owes Turkey more money
The European Union “doesn’t understand Turkey” and does not deliver what it has promised in terms of aid to the refugees from Syria, Fatma Şahin, the mayor of the Turkish city of Gaziantep, told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.
Countdown begins for tough EU asylum reform by June
Bulgaria today (25 January) launches the first of several meetings aimed at bridging an east-west split over reforming Europe's asylum rules by June, when Sofia's EU presidency ends and the migration crisis could flare anew.
EU countries urged to step up action against ‘modern slavery’
The European Commission has called on member states to enhance exchange of information and help conduct more effective investigations on rising human trafficking inside the EU, officials told EURACTIV.com.
Five Commissioners team up to threaten internet platforms with EU legislation
Five EU Commissioners all wanted a piece of the action on Tuesday (9 January) at a meeting with CEOs from some of the biggest internet platforms.