The European Union and its member states, together with international partners, have condemned the decision of the Taliban to deny until further notice secondary level education for over one million Afghan girls. This is a blatant violation of the fundamental right to education for all children, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
European Parliament to host “Afghan Women Days”
Parliament’s “Afghan Women Days” kicked off with a high-level conference this week. This event will gather MEPs, prominent Afghan women who were finalists for Parliament’s 2021 Sakharov Prize, Commission and United Nations representatives as well as representatives of other international organisations, to address and cast light on the extremely worrying situation for women in Afghanistan […]
Read More