n°01
June 2018
Is the dignified reception of all asylum seekers in Europe an illusion?
While some countries were already struggling to provide dignified reception conditions for asylum seekers, the rise in the number of arrivals to Europe highlighted the inability of European countries to meet their obligations as well as their tendency to limit access to rights and services. In a context characterized by growing anti-migrant sentiment, is the top-down harmonization of reception conditions possible?
Brief
An overview of reception conditions for asylum seekers across European countries
Two successive directives have aimed at harmonising reception conditions for asylum seekers in Europe . Yet the situation from one country to the next varies greatly. Overview.
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Opinion
Should the rest of Europe adopt the German asylum model?
By Petra Bendel, professor at the University of Friedrich-Alexander Erlangen-NürnbergFollowing the surge in arrivals in 2015 and 2016, debates over asylum, migration and integration have been characterised by tougher asylum rules and accelerated expulsions, increased concerns about integrating people “who have a good chance of staying” and the goal of recruiting skilled personnel.
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Opinion
Differential treatment of asylum seekers by category: discrimination or rationalisation?
By Catherine Woollard, Secretary General, European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)In recent years, there has been focus on the poor reception conditions for those arriving in the European Union to seek protection. Indeed, some have described “the refugee crisis” as a “reception crisis” in part because one of the factors leading a challenging but manageable situation to become a crisis was the poor reception conditions in the countries of first arrival which then led to onward movement.
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News
Pre-reception systems: asylum seekers face additional complications
While access to asylum was generally handled directly by the authorities tasked with handling application registration and assessment, in 2014 and 2015 various European countries implemented pre-reception systems to cope with the surge in asylum applications.
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News
The recast of the Reception Conditions Directive about to be adopted
On June 14th, after several months of negotiations, the European Council and Parliament reached an informal consensus agreement on the new recast of the Reception Conditions Directive.
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Which countries registered the most asylum seekers in 2017?Germany, France, SwedenGermany, Italy, FranceGermany, Greece, AustriaSubscribe now
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The Dublin Regulation reform divides European member states
Whereas, according to the European Commission’s roadmap on migration, EU member states have to reach agreement on the reform of the Dublin regulation before the European summit, to be held on the 28 and 29th of June, countries of the Visegrád Four (V4) and of the South Mediterranean remain strongly divided on the issue.
The Hungarian government launches a frontal assault against charities offering support to migrants and asylum seekers
Despite the low number of asylum seekers currently in Hungary, Viktor Orban’s government has, on the 29th of May, taken a bill and a constitution amendment through Parliament meant to prevent Hungary from becoming an “immigration country”. The law directly targets human rights organizations, specifically those protecting the rights of migrants.
Closing borders and European-wide cooperation: confused immigration policy in the Balkan states
At the crossroad of migrations to the Europe Union (EU), Balkan states cannot or do not want to step up their involvement in the management of asylum seekers, frustrating the EU’s expectations.
Migrants face increasing risks on their journey to Europe, according to UNHCR
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) new report, Desperate Journeys, despite a significant reduction in the number of migrants heading to Europe in 2017 and 2018, migration routes have become increasingly dangerous.