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Refugee crisis: latest news from across Europe 22.6.16

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01 June 2016

 EU: Border Guard: European Border and Coast Guard agreed: European Commission - Press release: The European Parliament, Council and Commission have reached an agreement, endorsed by the Council today, on the Commission's proposal on a European Border and Coast Guard (Press release, pdf):

 

"The European Parliament, Council and Commission have reached an agreement, endorsed by the Council today, on the Commission's proposal on a European Border and Coast Guard, paving the way for the reinforced Agency to be up and running starting this summer. The European Border and Coast Guard will combine a new reinforced Agency, building on the foundations laid by Frontex, with the ability to draw on a reserve pool of people and equipment."

See: Background documentation: Regulation on a European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Statewatch SEMDOC)

European Court of Human Rights: Grand Chamber hearing concerning the confinement and return to Tunisia of irregular migrants who arrived in Italy by sea (Press release, pdf):

"The case concerns the detention in a reception centre on Lampedusa and subsequently on ships moored in Palermo harbour, as well as the return to Tunisia, of clandestine migrants who had landed on the Italian coast in 2011 during the events linked to the “Arab Spring”....

The applicants, Saber Ben Mohamed Ben Ali Khlaifia, Fakhreddine Ben Brahim Ben Mustapha Tabal and Mohamed Ben Habib Ben Jaber Sfar, are Tunisian nationals who were born in 1983, 1987 and 1988 respectively. Mr Khlaifia lives in Om Laarass (Tunisia) and Mr Tabal and Mr Sfar live in El Mahdia (Tunisia)....

On 1 February 2016 the case was referred to the Grand Chamber at the request of the Italian Government"

See also Statewatch Analysis: ECtHR/Italy: Khlaifa judgment reveals illegal detention and collective expulsion practices in Italy’s treatment of Tunis ians in 2011 (pdf)

European Parliament: MEPs ask EU to verify whether Turkey is shooting Syrians who try to cross border (Press release, pdf):

"The European Union should check the veracity of reports that Turkish border guards are shooting and killing Syrians who are trying to flee their country, said the Civil Liberties Committee on Tuesday. MEPs also asked the European Commission to assess whether the EU-Turkey deal to manage migration and refugee flows can continue to apply in these circumstances."

 15 Years Fortress Europe: Interactive map of migrant and refugee deaths on the way to Europe, or trying to stay in Europe (link) Click "Start"

 Returning and Deporting Irregular Migrants: Not a Solution to the ‘Refugee Crisis’ (Human GEography, link):

"This article questions whether the presentation of the return and deportation of irregular migrants as a solution to the so-called ‘refugee crisis’ is ethical. Legally, the return of irregular migrants may be a legitimate activity by the state, but the current pressure by the European Commission on member-states to increase the current 40 percent rate of effective returns can lead them to operate returns below minimal human rights standards in a bid to increase the rate."

News (22.6.16)

Swedish crackdown targets migrant families (euobserver,link): "Sweden’s parliament passed a restrictive asylum law on Tuesday (21 June) that critics said could put more children at risk.A broad majority backed the government’s proposal, which aims to sharply reduce the number of asylum seekers over a three-year period during which Sweden is to improve its capacity for reception and integration of migrants. Critics said more women and children likely to attempt perilous crossings as families try to stick together (Photo: europarl.europa.eu) The law makes it harder for people who get asylum, but who are not classified as refugees, to bring in family members. It also replaces permanent residence permits with temporary ones, which must be renewed every 13 months."

Dispatches: Greece’s Prime Minister Should Uphold Refugee Rights at the Council of Europe (HRW, link): "Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras should take the opportunity to address pressing concerns about the fate of refugees and asylum seekers in his speech today before the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly."