The number of undocumented migrants arriving in Europe, especially via the eastern Mediterranean Sea route, has decreased, according to the EU border agency. At the same time, more are making the crossing from North Africa.
Police in northern Greece have arrested 13 people accused of migrant smuggling. The men reportedly abducted and tortured migrants as young as 16 years old.
A man sentenced to 25 years in prison in Greece for human trafficking was arrested in Italy this week. He reportedly smuggled migrants from Turkey to Greece.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says Ankara must respect basic human rights norms if Turkey wants to have a stronger relationship with the EU.
Greece has accused Turkey of trying to help migrant boats in the Aegean Sea to reach Europe. The Greek coast guard claimed that in one incident, two Turkish patrol vessels "tried to push" a migrant dinghy into Greek territory.
On the occasion of the fifth international conference on Syria, the United Nations has launched an appeal to international donors to finance support to Syrians within the country and to the communities that host refugees from the conflict.
The month of March 2021 marked the fifth anniversary of a refugee deal between Turkey and the European Union. The agreement saw Ankara agree to stem a mass exodus of refugees and migrants to Europe in exchange for monetary aid. But the future of that controversial agreement is now in question. EU chiefs Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen will travel to Turkey next week for a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The EU home affairs commissioner said Turkey should stick to a 2016 deal that would see Ankara take back failed asylum seekers from Greek islands. EU officials are set to travel to Turkey for talks next week.
Migrants in a detention center in Corinth have staged protests after a man in the camp reportedly committed suicide at the weekend. InfoMigrants received messages on Saturday confirming the man's death.
The UN refugee agency UNHCR says it has observed "several hundred cases" of suspected pushbacks in the Aegean Sea since the beginning of last year. It is stepping up pressure on Greece to investigate the reports.
EU leaders have agreed to extend a 2016 agreement with Turkey aimed at preventing migrants from reaching Europe. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the controversial deal has "proven its worth."
After the COVID-19 pandemic many more migrants and refugees will try to reach Europe, according to the head of the EU border agency, Frontex. Fabrice Leggeri also says Frontex "stands ready" to resume migrant returns to Turkey.