EU helps Bulgaria and Romania to protect borders against migrants
The European Commission has announced two pilot projects with Romania and Bulgaria aimed at stopping irregular migration at the EU's external borders.
eu commission
EU sees asylum applications almost double in 2022: European Commission
Applications for asylum in the European Union in 2022 almost doubled compared with the previous year. Every third applicant came from Syria.
EU Commission plans to give 3-year protection to Ukraine refugees
The European Commission has proposed granting automatic temporary protection for up to three years to people fleeing the war in Ukraine. This would include a residence permit and access to employment and social welfare.
EU and UNHCR raise alarm over pushback methods in Poland, Latvia and Lithuania
European Union and UNHCR officials have announced that Latvia, Lithuania and Poland still use "pushbacks and other violations of human rights" at the borders to keep migrants out. They added that they are also denying access to aid groups trying to help people in the border region with Belarus.
Europe should pay for walls against migrants, say ministers
Nearly half of the European Union member states want Brussels to pay for physical barriers to tackle the "political instrumentalization" of migrants.
EU to aid Lithuania as migrants continue to pour in from Belarus
European Union officials have pledged millions of euros to help member state Lithuania tackle an ongoing spike in migrant arrivals. Lithuanian officials blame the spike on the government of neighboring Belarus and its authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko.
Ocean Viking arrives in Italy to disembark 572 migrants
The Ocean Viking arrived in Sicily on Friday morning to disembark over 500 migrants it has on board. The crew and migrants had been waiting for a week to be assigned a safe port. Food and water were about to run out when they were assigned a port on Thursday evening.
MSF to suspend activities in two Libyan detention centers
The medical charity Doctors without borders (MSF) has announced it will suspend its medical activities in two Libyan detention centers because the levels of violence taking place there are "no longer acceptable."
Reactions to Ceuta migrant arrivals: 'It's a huge crisis for Spain and whole of Europe'
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told reporters that the more than 8,000 arrivals in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta were a "huge crisis for Spain and the whole of Europe." Members of the European Commission too have called the arrivals "worrying," and called for stronger partnerships to manage migration.
Irini mission: One year, no migrant rescues
The EU operation monitoring the arms embargo against Libya, named Irini, is entering its second year. Despite being active in the Mediterranean, it has not rescued any migrants.
EU commission proposes €7 billion plan for Mediterranean neighbors
The European Commission has proposed a plan to stimulate the economies of Mediterranean countries such as Algeria, Libya and Morocco. The goal: To support their attempts to recover from the COVID-19 crisis and to curb irregular migration.
Fears of possible lead poisoning at new migrant camp on Lesbos
Human Rights Watch has said that thousands of asylum seekers, aid workers and international personnel may be at risk of lead poisoning at the new migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. The camp was constructed on a former military firing range after the Moria camp burned down.