New requirements will be necessary to enter the EU region in the future and so EU-Lisa is preparing us for what this will mean concretely. The 16th eu-LISA Industry Roundtable, "EES, ETIAS and Carriers: Getting Ready for the Entry into Operation", will be held on 11 and 12 October 2022. Stay tuned here and on https://eulisaroundtable.eu for updates.
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Texts on Eurodac and screening regulations approved. On 22 June 2022, the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) adopted Council negotiating mandates on the Eurodac and screening regulations. Both proposals are part of the Pact on Migration and Asylum presented in 2020. The Eurodac database contains the fingerprints of irregular migrants and asylum applicants who have been registered in EU Member States and associated countries, whereas the screening regulation focuses on controls on persons at the external borders. The Council press release states that the texts agreed would facilitate tackling irregular movements and the return of people in an irregular situation, and provide that screening at the external borders will apply to all persons who do not fulfil the conditions for entry.
Ukraine in the focus. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen referred to a reconstruction plan for Ukraine in her speech at the World Economic Forum on 24 May 2022 – a reference some have termed a Marshall Plan for Ukraine. The platform would serve to map investment needs and coordinate relief efforts after the war with Russia in the short, mid-, and long-term. Additional steps were taken to protect those fleeing the war. On 31 May 2022, the European Commission launched an EU platform for the registration beneficiaries of temporary protection, to facilitate the exchange of information between Member States and register people in real time, and to grant refugees fleeing Ukraine effective access to their rights and benefits, as well as address the issue of multiple registrations and limit possible abuse. On 9 June 2022, the Council adopted conclusions on the EU strategy on the rights of child, focusing on protecting their rights in situations of crisis or emergency. As a result of the war in Ukraine, the Council has given specific attention to the need to protect children from recruitment by armed forces, illegal adoption, trafficking in human beings, sexual exploitation, and family separation.
Updated guidance on Afghanistan.With the aim to harmonise approaches across Member States, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) released updated ‘Country Guidance’ for Afghan applicants on 20 April 2022, to assist national authorities in deciding who qualifies for international protection.
Actions against human trafficking. ‘Upholding victims’ rights and strengthening assistance’ was the title of the high-level conference of 4 April 2022, held by the OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings. The provision of comprehensive assistance, durable solutions, and (re)-integration of victims were at the heart of the agenda. On 11 May 2022, the EU Solidarity Platform presented a Common Anti-Trafficking Plan to address the risks of trafficking in human beings and potential victims. This was one of the goals of the 10-Point Action Plan established for stronger European coordination on welcoming people fleeing the war against Ukraine.
As part of the European Council (EUCO) meeting (16 December), EU leaders recalled the importance of addressing all migratory routes. They called on the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union to ensure that the recent action plans for countries of origin and transit are made operational. The European Council recognised the importance of a more unified EU returns policy and called on the Commission and the High Representative, together with Member States, to take swift action to ensure effective returns from the EU to countries of origin. Read the European Council conclusions from the December meeting, visit the meeting webpage below.
Welcome to the EMN Quarterly, our selection of the key developments in the areas of migration and asylum from January to March 2022. The full PDF version of the EMN Quarterly can be found here. If you know someone who would be interested, please share this link so they can subscribe to the quarterly flash.
