About: migration crisis
COVID-19 means confining ourselves, not abandoning refugees
The image of three-year-old Alan Kurdi dead on the shore in 2015 sticks in our memory as a collective failure. Five years later, it looks like we haven’t done much to improve the situation of thousands of migrants who are either still trying to escape war or wait on asylum-seeker centres already on European soil, writes Iratxe García Pérez.
The EU’s new migration policy is a gift to the far-right
Far from taking the refugee issue away from the far-right, the EU's new migration policy plan will simply hand the far-right a grievance it can exploit for years to come, writes Faisal Al Yafai.
Mogherini’s tarnished legacy
Paradoxically it was the EU’s closest partner, the United States, that has done most to damage Federica Mogherini's legacy as High Representative with a full-scale assault on the EU’s commitment to multilateralism, writes Fraser Cameron.
The migrants are coming to Poland. Let’s welcome them
Polish deputy minister for development, Paweł Chorąży, left government because he said a banal and obvious thing: Without immigrants in Poland, there will be not enough hands to work and no economic growth. Rather than demonise them, the government should welcome the newcomers, writes Bartosz T. Wieliński.
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.
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.
Europe’s quiet offensive against people helping refugees
Three years ago today (31 October), EU pressure on Italy forced the end of one the EU’s most successful humanitarian missions, ‘Mare Nostrum’, a search-and-rescue operation that in just one year brought 130,000 refugees safely to Europe’s shores. Ben Hayes and Frank Barat look back on three years since the end of Operation Mare Nostrum.
The hidden truth about migration: A looming farm crisis back home
Mass migration has become a major political challenge in Europe. While the media documents the perilous journeys that migrants undertake, the hardships and hopes of the rural areas from which many originate receive less attention, meaning the root causes of migration persist, writes Claudia Sadoff.
Migration and Europe: The view from Turkey
European governments seem to be treating Turkey like a game on a football pitch, pushing the ball of inclusion around, but never really having the intention of allowing it to become an equal player on their field, writes Egemen Bağış.
Time to consider refugee protection in partnerships with third countries
On World Refugee Day and just before the European Council, we call on the EU and its member states to assess the impact of the Partnership Framework approach on the right to seek and enjoy asylum, writes Denis Haveaux.
Stop stopping the Libyan migrants: Start asking why they are coming
Today (3 February), EU leaders are discussing plans to stop people embarking from Libya from reaching Europe’s shores, the details of which seem unworkable, counterproductive and morally dubious, writes Imogen Sudbery.
‘Forgotten’ Lake Chad Basin crisis affects two million children
The EU and its member states, as well as other donors, need to address the current funding shortfall for the “forgotten” crisis of the Lake Chad Basin, writes Kathryn Taetzsch.
No more EU deals to keep migrants out
The EU's new partnership with Third World countries, modelled on the controversial Turkey deal, and trust funds to limit migration and return refugees to their home countries, have little safeguards for human rights, argue Jessica Poh-Janrell and Andrea Stocchiero of CONCORD.
Why the EIB should not deal with the migration crisis
The EIB is not well placed to intervene in the migration crisis. The bank’s past form shows it lacks the human touch needed to succeed in this area, writes Xavier Sol.
Female genital mutilation: Putting human rights at the core of Europe’s asylum system
Female genital mutilation (FGM) survivors, and women and girls at risk, are particularly vulnerable in the asylum system. They must receive support to help them navigate the process, writes Liuska Sanna.
New EU border guard agency is no magic bullet
The European Union’s new border guard agency is meant to remedy the failings of its predecessor, Frontex. Dr Lisa Watanabe asks whether the EBCG will be endowed with what Frontex lacked.
Juncker’s new investment plan shows he still has not understood the problem
Jean-Claude Juncker is today (14 September) expected to launch the new European External Investment Plan, which aims at “addressing the root causes of migration”. But once again Europe’s solution to the “migration crisis” is not only wrong – it is actually no solution at all, writes Natalia Alonso.
Isn’t Turkey of interest to Europe?
European and Turkish leaders damaged relations between their countries following the near-coup in Turkey last month—and there are too many important policy issues at stake, writes Samuel Doveri Vesterbye.
The EU and Africa: a deal set to push more young people on to the boats
The new EU migration partnerships with African governments risk strengthening autocratic regimes and exacerbating violence, repression and corruption, argues Marije Balt.