Ahead of the Extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council (Home Affairs) of 25 November 2022, the Commission is presenting an EU Action Plan on the Central Mediterranean. Whilst emphasising that structural solutions will only be found through agreement on the full set of asylum and migration reforms currently being negotiated, the Commission is proposing a […]
Read MoreStatement from Commission on migration and asylum
The Commission welcomes the political agreement between the co-legislators on a Joint Roadmap on the Common European Asylum System and the New Pact on Migration and Asylum. This confirms the joint commitment to take all necessary steps towards the adoption of the legislative proposals related to asylum and migration management before the end of the […]
Read MoreVisa Digitalisation: Visa travel to the EU becomes easier
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 […]
Read MoreUnited 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 […]
Read MoreHome 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 […]
Read MoreCommission 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 […]
Read MoreUkraine 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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