This week, the Commission has proposed the digitalisation of the Schengen visa process, replacing the visa sticker, and introducing the possibility to submit visa applications online through the European online visa platform. The New Pact on Migration and Asylum set the objective to fully digitalise visa procedures by 2025. It is an opportunity to effectively improve […]
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United Nations an European Union: Ukraine crisis and refugees
This post offers the latest United Nations News related to refugees from the Ukrainian war with Russia. April 7 As part of the EU’s efforts to support Ukraine after Russia’s invasion, EU ambassadors today endorsed a proposal giving member states immediate access to more initial funding from REACT-EU (Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories […]
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Home Affairs Council: 10-Point Plan on stronger European coordination on welcoming people fleeing the war against Ukraine
In its conclusions of 24-25 March, the European Council called on Member States to intensify their efforts in a continued spirit of unity and solidarity, and it invited the Commission to take the necessary initiatives to facilitate such efforts. At the extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council of 28 March, Vice-President for Promoting our European […]
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Commission urges Member States to act on ‘golden passports’ and ‘golden residence permits’ schemes, and to take immediate steps in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
In a recommendation issued yesterday, the Commission is urging Member States to immediately repeal any existing investor citizenship schemes and to ensure strong checks are in place to address the risks posed by investor residence schemes. The Commission has frequently and consistently raised its serious concerns about investor citizenship and residence schemes and the inherent risks […]
Read MoreMEPs demand a ban on ‘golden passports’ and specific rules for ‘golden visas’
Concerned that EU citizenship is for sale, Parliament proposes new common rules to address the many problems linked to ‘citizenship/residence by investment’ schemes. On Wednesday, MEPs adopted a legislative initiative report calling on the Commission to table a proposal by the end of its mandate. The commitment by the Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the UK, […]
Read More‘Senseless war’ forces one million to flee Ukraine: UN refugee chief
The “senseless war” in Ukraine has forced one million people to flee the country in just seven days, while countless others have been displaced within its borders, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said on Thursday. “I have worked in refugee emergencies for almost 40 years, and rarely have I seen an exodus as […]
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Ukraine crisis: UN agencies support rising tide of refugees
The number of people fleeing the Russian onslaught in Ukraine surpassed 874,000 as of Wednesday morning New York time, data from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has revealed. More than half have headed west to Poland, according to a new UNHCR operational data portal that is keeping track of refugee arrivals in neighbouring countries. Others have found shelter […]
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Ukraine: $1.7 billion appeal launched to help refugee exodus, host countries
Rockets have been “raining down” on Ukraine’s cities and hundreds of people have been killed or injured since the Russian military offensive began, the UN Secretary-General said on Tuesday, at the launch of a $1.7 billion flash appeal to provide urgently-needed assistance. António Guterres’s comments came as latest UN data indicated that 677,000 people have fled Ukraine […]
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UN humanitarians call on combatants to spare Ukraine civilians as aid ramps up
Well over 600,000 people have fled Ukraine in under a week, since Russia’s military offensive began, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday, as they issued an appeal to protect civilians from further bloodshed. “We know that children have been killed, we know that thousands and thousands are at risk, and we know that more children, gutwrenchingly, are […]
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