European Insights

Opinions, analysis and news on migration policies in Europe
Finnish pushback law: “A major deviation for a once internationally renowned country of rule of law” - Vues d'Europe
Interview

Finnish pushback law: “A major deviation for a once internationally renowned country of rule of law”

On Friday 12th July, the Finnish parliament adopted the Act on Temporary Measures to Combat Instrumentalised Migration, also known as the “pushback” law. The bill, valid for one year, allows authorities to turn away migrants attempting to enter Finland at its eastern border with Russia, due to their supposed instrumentalisation by Moscow.

+
« The suspension of the examination of asylum applications is a violation of international law » - Vues d'Europe
Interview

« The suspension of the examination of asylum applications is a violation of international law »

Just a few kilometres from Lebanon and Syria, Cyprus has seen an increase in the number of Syrian exiles arriving by boat directly on its coasts in recent months. In spite of a stable total number of asylum seekers, the Cypriot government reacted to these more visible arrivals by announcing tougher reception conditions for asylum seekers in the country.
Corina Drousiotou, coordinator and legal adviser at the Cyprus Refugee Council, sheds light on the situation in Cyprus and the impact of recent government measures on asylum seekers.

+
Actualités

The integration in the EU, the responsibility of the refugee or the host country?

A Syrian refugee living in Germany, Shaza Al Rihawi is deeply involved in the promotion of human rights. She is a member of several refugee rights organizations and is also working on a research project that seeks to analyze the process of integration of young migrants within the education system and society in Germany. She shares with us her views on public policies for the integration of migrants and refugees and the main challenges they face in the EU, especially women.

+
Actualités

“Employment is one of the areas where there has been considerable progress in a number of countries”

Led by the Polish Institute of Public Affairs and coordinated by the Migration Policy Group, the “National Integration Evaluation Mechanism” (NIEM) is a transnational research project aimed at promoting the integration of refugees into European societies. It consists in assessing the impact of legislative and policy developments, but also in identifying challenges and good practices in the project partner countries. France terre d’asile is in charge of the evaluation for France.

+
Actualités

The coronavirus effect on European migration policy

Alain Le Cléac’h shares his point of view on the coronavirus epidemic and its consequences on the rights of migrants in France, and on what it implies in terms of European migration policy.

+
Décryptage

The reception of asylum seekers as a test of European solidarity since 2015

The EU Member States have had to face up to the challenge of the reception of asylum seekers for a number of years now. Although supporting them is crucial, there is a huge contrast in the way this actually happens from one country to another. The degree of solidarity shown by governments when it comes to sharing responsibilities fairly within the bloc is also far from uniform.

+
Germany’s Ankerzentren: a quick way of managing the asylum procedure while undermining fundamental rights - Vues d'Europe
Actualités

Germany’s Ankerzentren: a quick way of managing the asylum procedure while undermining fundamental rights

The first Ankerzentren were set up in 2018 at the instigation of the German Minister of Interior Horst Seehofer. They are designed to speed up the processing of asylum applications and to make it easier both to send rejected asylum seekers home and to transfer those placed under the “Dublin” procedure to other countries. These reception centres are the only ones of their kind in Europe and might inspire other Member States. However, a year and a half after they were set up, there is a great deal of criticism which is bringing the justification for their introduction into question.

+
Is a reform of European asylum policy still possible? - Vues d'Europe
Actualités

Is a reform of European asylum policy still possible?

Asylum became a European competence in 1999 and has gradually become the subject of a legislative framework thanks to the introduction of the Common European Asylum System. However, since 2015, European policies in this area have shown their limits, leading to a reform process which has still not come off. At a time when the new European commission is setting out its objectives for a new common asylum policy, is reform still possible?

+

Subscribe to our mailing list