The migrant crisis has triggered challenges across Europe. FRA encourages rights-compliant responses.
We provide practical expertise on this complex issue. This includes regular updates, focus papers and toolkits. We outline policy alternatives and best practices.
Article 18 - Right to asylum
Article 19 - Protection in the event of removal, expulsion or extradition
Handbook / Guide / Manual
Handbook on European law relating to asylum, borders and immigration - Edition 2020
The European Convention on Human Rights and European Union law provide an increasingly important framework for the protection of the rights of foreigners. European Union legislation relating to asylum, borders and immigration is developing fast. There is an impressive body of case law by the European Court of Human Rights relating in particular to Articles 3, 5, 8 and 13 of the ECHR. The Court of Justice of the European Union is increasingly asked to pronounce on the interpretation of European Union law provisions in this field. The third edition of this handbook, updated up to July 2020, presents this European Union legislation and the body of case law by the two European courts in an accessible way.
FRA work in the 'hotspots'
'Hotspots' are facilities set up at the EU's external border in Greece and Italy for the initial reception, identification and registration of asylum seekers and other migrants coming to the EU by sea. They also serve to channel newly-arrived people into international protection, return or other procedures.
Download FRA Opinions on hotspots
Watch vlog on hotspot situation
Periodic updates / Series
Practical guidance in the area of asylum, migration and borders
Based on its findings and research FRA provides practical guidance to support the implementation of fundamental rights in the EU Member States. This series contains practical guidance on: Apprehension of migrants in an irregular situation; Guidance on how to reduce the risk of refoulement in external border management when working in or together with third countries; Fundamental rights implications of the obligation to provide fingerprints for Eurodac; Twelve operational fundamental rights considerations for law enforcement when processing Passenger Name Record (PNR) data and Border controls and fundamental rights at external land borders.
Report / Paper / Summary
Migration: Fundamental rights issues at land borders
This report looks at fundamental rights compliance at the European Union (EU)'s external land borders, including rivers and lakes. On 30 January 2020, the European Parliament requested the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) to prepare a report on these borders. It noted that the report should focus on the correct application of the safeguards in the European asylum acquis and the provisions of the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2016/399).
December 2020 update - NGO ships involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean and legal proceedings against them
In 2020 (until 15 December), the International Organization for Migration estimated that about 1,054 people have died or gone missing while crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe to escape war or persecution or to pursue a better life. This is an average of almost three people per day. In the past years, a significant number of migrants in distress at sea have been rescued by civil society vessels deployed with a humanitarian mandate to reduce fatalities and bring rescued migrants to safety. Since 2018, however, national authorities initiated some 50 administrative and criminal proceedings against crew members or vessels, also seizing the latter. In some cases, rescue vessels were blocked in harbours due to flag issues or the inability to meet maritime safety-related and other technical requirements.
Fundamental Rights Report
11 June 2020 Now available in Macedonian and Serbian 13 November 2020
Fundamental Rights Report 2020 – FRA opinions
The year 2019 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of fundamental rights protection. FRA's Fundamental Rights Report 2020 reviews major developments in the field, identifying both achievements and remaining areas of concern. This publication presents FRA's opinions on the main developments in the thematic areas covered, and a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions. In so doing, it provides a compact but informative overview of the main fundamental rights challenges confronting the EU and its Member States.
Migration: Key fundamental rights concerns - Quarterly bulletin 4 - 2020
The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has been regularly collecting data on asylum and migration since September 2015. This report focuses on the fundamental rights situation of people arriving in Member States and EU candidate countries particularly affected by migration. It addresses fundamental rights concerns between 1 July and 30 September 2020.
13 June 2019 New language versions: FI, MT, PT, CS, LV, LT, SK, SL, SV, ET 03 November 2020
Children deprived of parental care found in an EU Member State other than their own
Children deprived of parental care found in another EU Member State other than their own aims to strengthen the response of all relevant actors for child protection. The protection of those girls and boys is paramount and an obligation for EU Member States, derived from the international and European legal framework. The guide includes a focus on child victims of trafficking and children at risk, implementing an action set forth in the 2017 Communication stepping up EU action against trafficking in human beings, and takes into account identified patterns, including with respect to the gender specificity of the crime.
Integrating young refugees in the EU - Country information
The EU Fundamental Rights Agency published in 2019 its report on the 'Integration of young refugees in the EU'. The report explored the challenges of young people who fled armed conflict or persecution and arrived in the EU in 2015 and 2016. The report is based on 426 interviews with experts working in the area of asylum and integration, as well as 163 interviews with young people, aged 16 to 24, conducted between October 2017 and June 2018 in 15 regions and cities located in six Member States: Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy and Sweden. The links on this page provide a summary of the information collected during this period for each country about unaccompanied children turning 18 and the change in people's legal status once international protection is granted. These two issues had at the time been identified as moments requiring sufficient, consistent and systematic support, particularly from lawyers, social workers and guardians, to ensure successful integration.
FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty visits Moria migration facility
This video statement by FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty was recorded on 15 October 2020 at the Moria migration facility that was destroyed by fire in September 2020.
FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty visits temporary camp at Mavrovouni, Lesbos
This video statement by FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty was recorded on 14 October 2020 at the temporary facility at Mavrovouni. This temporary camp was built to re-house people after the fire at the Moria migration facility on the island of Lesbos, in Greece.
Coronavirus pandemic in the EU - Fundamental Rights Implications - Bulletin 4
As we enter the second half of 2020, the constraints on our daily lives brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic have become a firm reality. New local lockdowns and the reintroduction of restrictive measures prompted by fresh outbreaks of the virus are a stark reminder that COVID-19 continues to shape our lives – and our enjoyment of fundamental rights – in profound ways. There is compelling evidence of how the pandemic has exacerbated existing challenges in our societies. This FRA Bulletin outlines some of the measures EU Member States adopted to safely reopen their societies and economies while continuing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. It highlights the impact these measures may have on civil, political and socioeconomic rights.
The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has been regularly collecting data on asylum and migration since September 2015. This report focuses on the fundamental rights situation of people arriving in Member States and EU candidate countries particularly affected by migration. It addresses fundamental rights concerns between 1 April and 30 June 2020.
Border controls and fundamental rights at external land borders
This practical guidance addresses border-management staff in European Union (EU) Member States who work at the operational level. It aims to support them in implementing the fundamental rights safeguards of the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) No. 2016/399) and related EU law instruments in their daily work, when carrying out controls at external land borders.
Forced return monitoring systems - 2020 update
The EU Return Directive (2008/115/EC) in Article 8 (6) introduced an important fundamental rights safeguard for third-country nationals ordered to leave the EU because they do not or no longer fulfil the conditions for entry and/or stay. According to the directive, Member States must provide for an effective forced-return monitoring system.
MDX Dataset
Forced return monitoring systems – State of play in EU Member States
The EU Return Directive introduced an important fundamental rights safeguard for third-country nationals ordered to leave the EU because they do not or no longer fulfil the conditions for entry and/or stay. According to the Directive, Member States must provide for an effective forced-return monitoring system.
June 2020 update - NGO ships involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean and legal proceedings against them
In 2019, the International Organization for Migration estimated that 1,866 people have died or gone missing while crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe to escape war or persecution or to pursue a better life. This is an average of five people per day. In recent years, a significant proportion of migrants in distress at sea have been rescued by civil society vessels deployed with a humanitarian mandate to reduce fatalities and bring rescued migrants to safety. Since 2018, however, authorities in some EU Member States started viewing civil society-deployed rescue vessels with hostility. As a reaction, national authorities initiated about 40 administrative and criminal proceedings against crew members or vessels, including seizing the latter. In some cases, rescue vessels were blocked in harbours due to flag issues or the inability to meet technical requirements.
Fundamental Rights Report 2020
FRA's Fundamental Rights Report 2020 reviews major developments in the field in 2019, identifying both achievements and areas of concern. It also presents FRA's opinions on these developments, including a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions. This year's focus chapter explores how to unlock the full potential of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
The Coronavirus pandemic continues to interrupt everyday life in the EU in unprecedented ways. But the way it affects our societies is shifting. As governments gradually lift some of the measures put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19, new fundamental rights concerns arise: how to ensure that the rights to life and health are upheld as daily life transitions to a 'new normal'. This Bulletin looks at declarations of states of emergency, or equivalent, and how they came under scrutiny. It considers the impact on fundamental rights in important areas of daily life, and includes a thematic focus on the processing of users' data to help contain COVID-19, particularly by contact-tracing apps. It covers the period 21 March – 30 April 2020.
The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights has been regularly collecting data on migration since September 2015. This report focuses on the fundamental rights situation of people arriving in Member States and EU candidate countries particularly affected by large migration movements. It addresses key fundamental rights concerns between 1 January and 31 March 2020.
Practical guidance for protecting unaccompanied children in the relocation process
Based on the lessons learned from relocation experiences and on existing international and EU legal standards, FRA has developed a number of practical suggestions for the adjustment of relocation efforts to the protection needs of unaccompanied children. This guidance aims to be a practical tool for Member States that wish to engage in the relocation of unaccompanied children and in any future responsibility-sharing mechanisms, and to gain knowledge on how this can be done while respecting the child's best interests.
Relocating unaccompanied children: applying good practices to future schemes
In recent years, thousands of girls and boys have reached Europe without their parents, and sought international protection. Many of them experienced violence, abuse and neglect in their home countries, and while in transit. They have the right to be protected in line with the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the European Convention on Human Rights, and European Union law. This report explores the challenges and good practices gathered in the implementation of such relocation programmes. Based on information FRA collected in 10 EU Member States, it aims to help national authorities to support the relocation of unaccompanied children by taking measures that are fully rights compliant and practically feasible.
FRA Director speaks with Greek authorities about migration
Greece needs solid, sustained support and solidarity as it faces great migration challenges, says FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty after 2 days of meetings in Athens with authorities.
Video blog by Michael O'Flaherty: situation in Greek hotspots
In this edition Michael O'Flaherty reports back from his visit to the asylum seeker facility in Lesbos and calls for the support of all EU Member States to improve in particular the situation of unaccompanied children.
Video blog by Michael O'Flaherty: rescue in the Mediterranean
In the latest edition of his video blog, FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty focuses on the migration situation in the Mediterranean Sea and makes three proposals.
Severe labour exploitation: A Woman Captured - Trailer
A Woman captured – a film by Bernadett Tuza-Ritter
Rights holders perspectives of severe labour exploitation
A short documentary related to labour exploitation in some sectors of the agricultural and transport industries.
Ongoing challenges to advancing child rights
Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Not all children benefit equally from efforts to guarantee child rights. Some groups face particular difficulties.
Migration remains politically charged
Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Although migrant arrivals to the EU continue to drop, it remains a divisive issue politically and across society. Nearly 4 in 10 Europeans think immigration is more of a problem than a solution. And nearly a half overestimate the number of irregular migrants in their country.
Video Blog by Michael O'Flaherty: Looking ahead to 2019
Michael O'Flaherty focuses on the challenges and projects coming up in 2019.
Being black in the EU often means racism and poor jobs
Black people in the EU face unacceptable difficulties in getting a decent job because of their skin colour. Racist harassment also remains all too common.
EU IT systems, biometrics and human rights
This infographic illustrates the positive and negative impact on fundamental rights of using large-scale IT systems for security and border management.
Video blog by Michael O'Flaherty: Five migration issues that need urgent action
For the past two years, FRA has been visiting reception centres for migrants across the EU.
Discrimination: Experiences from immigrants and ethnic minorities across the EU
This infographic illustrates the main experiences immigrants and ethnic minorities across the EU have when it comes to discrimination. It draws from the findings from FRA's EU-MIDIS II survey.
Victimisation: experiences from immigrants and ethnic minorities across the EU
This infographic illustrates the main experiences immigrants and ethnic minorities across the EU have when it comes to victimisation. It draws from the findings from FRA's EU-MIDIS II survey.
Inclusion: Experiences from immigrants and ethnic minorities across the EU
This infographic illustrates the main experiences immigrants and ethnic minorities across the EU have when it comes to inclusion. It draws from the findings from FRA's EU-MIDIS II survey.
Is Europe doing enough to protect fundamental rights? - the children's perspective - Event summary
The Agency, in close cooperation with the Maltese Presidency of the EU Council, held a high-level symposium where the fundamental rights issues that are currently high on the EU's political agenda were discussed.
Children's perspectives on migration and asylum
Listen to what children say about the situation of people, particularly children, residing in the European Union, who needed to flee from their home country or left their country of birth for any other reason and what they suggest to implement change.
Together in the EU
Miltos Pavlou, Senior Programme Manager at the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, talks about the participation of migrants and their descendants in the EU.
Immigration implications of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement
FRA published a brief note on the migration law implications of the new EU-UK arrangements.
Read note on migration law implications of Brexit
Supporting Schengen evaluations
In December 2020, FRA was an observer to the Schengen return and readmission evaluations of Cyprus. It joined a team of evaluators from the European Commission and EU Member States. This was the fourth such FRA observer visit to Member States in 2020.
Download the Fundamental Rights Report 2020
Update on Mediterranean migrant search and rescue
On average three people a day died crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe in 2020, estimates the International Organization for Migration. On International Migrants Day on 18 December, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights outlines the difficulties that civil society rescue efforts in the Mediterranean continue to face.
Consult the update
Towards a 'new normal' for migration?
The coronavirus pandemic tearing through society exposes the vulnerability migrants often face. On International Migrants Day on 18 December, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights calls on the EU and its Member States, when addressing the societal impact, to leave no one behind by also supporting migrants.
Widely-used asylum and migration legal handbook updated
The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights and the European Court of Human Rights issue the third edition of their widely-used practical handbook on European migration and asylum law.
Download the asylum legal handbook
Committee of the Regions annual dialogue explores migrant integration
On 4 December, at the Annual Dialogue with the European Committee of the Regions in the Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs, FRA presented the findings from its report on the integration of young refugees.
Download handbook on integration of young refugees in the EU
Monitoring returns involving children
A workshop on 3 December looked at how to ensure the best interests of the child when monitoring forced returns that involve children. The International Centre for Migration Policy Development, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and FRA jointly organised the online workshop. It was attended by 50 people from 21 different Member States.
Migration: Fundamental rights challenges at borders
Today, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) publishes a report on fundamental rights issues at external land borders. The report looks at the main challenges of border management and puts forward proposals for actions to improve the current situation. The European Parliament requested FRA to prepare this report in January 2020. With the Coronavirus pandemic, the report could only be issued now.
Download report on fundamental rights issues at land borders
FRA's continue to support EU integration and inclusion
The European Commission's new Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027 acknowledges FRA's key role in monitoring the effectiveness of EU integration and inclusion policies.
Integration and Inclusion Action Plan
European Migration Network National Contact Points meet
National Contact Points from the European Migration Network (EMN) met online from 12 to 13 November. These monthly meetings aim to update contact points as well as the European Commission and its Joint Research Centre, the European Asylum Support Office, the European Parliament and FRA about each other's activities.
Presenting Consultative Forum's annual report to the European Parliament
FRA, as co-chair of the Frontex Consultative Forum, presented the Forum's Annual Report to the European Parliament's Schengen Working Group.
Expert forum looks at migration management in Europe
On 14 November, FRA took part in the 2020 PROTECT Expert Forum. The event explored existing and emerging issues surrounding migration management in Europe, in light of the UN Global Compacts on Refugees and Migrants.
Webinar focuses on pushbacks and rights violations at EU borders
The NGOs Human Rights Watch, Refugee Rights Europe, in cooperation with the End Pushbacks Partnership network, hosted an online event on 18 November. It looked at pushbacks and rights violations at EU's internal and external borders.
FRA and eu-LISA strengthen cooperation
FRA and the European Agency for the operational management of large-scale IT systems in the area of freedom, security and justice (eu-LISA) today signed off on a cooperation plan for the coming years.
Child protection guide now available in all EU official languages
The 'Children deprived of parental care found in another EU Member State other than their own' guide is now available in all EU official languages.
Download child protection guide
Fundamental rights training on data processing for lawyers
On 30 October, FRA presented the fundamental rights implications of processing data in large-scale IT systems.
FRA promotes its new asylum handbook to judges
FRA presented the third edition of its future handbook on European law relating to asylum, borders and immigration on 28 October. The presentation was part of an online training course for judges on the detention of protection seekers.
Migration: Worsening conditions for migrants and refugees across Europe
The Coronavirus pandemic continues to severely affect migrants and refugees. Difficulties to enter the EU, increasing reports of pushbacks and violence at the borders, and worsening conditions in reception centres are some of the main concerns the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) identifies in its latest migration quarterly bulletin. At the same time, the European Commission's new Migration and Asylum Pact kicks off new discussions about the future EU migration and asylum framework.
Download quarterly bulletin
FRA joins the Interoperability Forum
FRA took part in discussions on 28 October related to the regulations setting up the interoperability of EU large-scale information systems.
Webinar focuses on integrating young refugees
FRA held a webinar with representatives from integration and youth welfare authorities on 20 October on integrating young refugees when turning 18.
Download integration report
Launching the updated asylum legal handbook
FRA and the European Court of Human Rights will launch the 2020 edition of the FRA and Council of Europe handbook on European law relating to asylum, borders and immigration. This online book launch will take place on 17 December. It is being organised in collaboration with the International Association of Refugee and Migration Judges and the European Asylum Support Office (EASO).
Promoting human rights through film
This year, FRA again teams up with the This human world international human rights film festival.
Third Euro-Mediterranean Communicators' workshop to look at migration narratives
The third Euro-Mediterranean Communicators´ workshop will tackle the question what is next for the migration narrative in the Euro-Mediterranean region?
FRA eMedia toolkit to feature at International Migration Reporting Congress
FRA's migration reporting toolkit for journalists will feature in two workshops and be discussed with media partners during the III International Congress of Migration Reporting. The workshops will present how journalists' knowledge of fundamental rights affects migration reporting.
Frontex Consultative Forum to meet
The Consultative Forum of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, will meet on 15 October. FRA currently co-chairs the forum together with UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
Strengthening cooperation with Frontex
FRA, as co-chair of the Frontex Consultative Forum, will chair a meeting with Frontex Fundamental Rights Officer on 24 June.
Fundamental Rights Report 2020 out soon
FRA will launch its Fundamental Rights Report 2020 on 11 June.
FRA joins European Parliament migration and COVID-19 discussions
The FRA Director will address the European Parliament's Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) on 2 April.
28 November 2019 - 10 December 2019
Supporting this human world international film festival
FRA will be a partner of the international human rights film festival, this human world, for the third year.
FRA Director to deliver keynote during EASO Consultative Forum
FRA's Director will deliver a keynote speech during European Asylum Support Office's Consultative Forum.
European Parliament committee discusses situation in the Greek migration hotspots
FRA's Director will exchange views with the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs in Brussels on 6 November.
FRA Director to visit Greek migration hotspots
FRA has been regularly visiting Greek migration hotspots since 2016.
International Conference on Biometrics for Borders 2019
On 9 and 10 October, FRA will participate in the European Border and Coast Guard Agency's international conference on biometrics for borders.
EU child guarantee workshop looks at migrant children
FRA will join the third in a row of four child guarantee workshops organised by the European Commission.
Presenting migration to law students at FRA
FRA will host a group of young lawyers from Germany on 3 July.
From wrongs to rights - Ending severe labour exploitation
As workers in the EU are still severely exploited, FRA is jointly organising a high-level conference 'From wrongs to rights - Ending severe labour exploitation' in Brussels on 25 June.
Responsible and ethical use of biometrics - the great debate
Biometric data offers both opportunities and challenges with respect to fundamental rights.
06 June 2019 - 07 June 2019
FRA hosts Schengen evaluation trainers
FRA will host trainers from the Member States and Schengen Associated Countries, the European Commission and Frontex responsible for training experts who evaluate the application of the Schengen acquis in the fields of border management, return and readmission.
Exchange of experiences with migration and child rights experts
FRA will take part in the 4th joint meeting of the informal group of experts on child rights and the informal group on the protection of children in migration.
Providing guidance for protecting children across borders
In the framework of the Romanian EU Presidency, the agency will present its guide on children deprived of parental care found in another EU Member State other than their own at a meeting of central authorities in the European Judicial Network.