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EU Member States have a shared responsibility to give protection to asylum-seekers, to ensure that they receive fair treatment and that their cases are examined in accordance with uniform standards. The common European asylum system (CEAS) establishes common standards for Member States in their procedures for granting and withdrawing international protection. A critical aspect of a common approach to international protection is the application of the 'safe country of origin' concept. In the context ...

Between 2021 and 2023, at least 51 433 unaccompanied minors were reported as missing across Europe, averaging nearly 47 children a day. Over 18 000 migrant and refugee children were reported as missing across Europe between 2018 and 2020. It is feared that many of these children may have been exploited and abused for sexual or labour purposes. The European Parliament has repeatedly stressed the need to address this issue.

This paper covers possible defence financing and spending options under the European economic governance framework by reviewing the proposal for a ReArm Europe plan floated by the President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen. The paper also analyses flexibilities under the EU budget, EIB and ESM financing while also assessing potential market challenges and public procurement. This paper has been updated with information from the European Commission's White Paper for European Defence Readiness ...

The European Union's defence industry requires a major increase in private investment due to the evolving geopolitical landscape. The emergence of new EU defence exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that hold shares in the underlying companies could encourage this investment and provide EU defence firms with dearly needed capital.

The first quarter of 2025 has been a very busy one for the European Council, with EU leaders having already convened three times before their regular March meeting – once for an informal retreat on defence on 3 February, in a video-conference on 26 February and then for a special European Council meeting on 6 March. The increasingly complex geopolitical situation, as well as the current strains on the transatlantic relationship, make the regular March meeting a crucial one. According to the Leaders ...

The future of European Union defence unsurprisingly topped the March 2025 plenary session agenda. Members held a debate on Europe's security architecture and the EU's unwavering support for Ukraine, in the presence of the Presidents of the European Council, and European Commission. Debates also took place on the conclusions of the 6 March special European Council meeting and preparation of the regular meeting on 20 21 March 2025. Members marked International Women's Day with addresses from guests ...

In a context of high uncertainty on the future of European security, EU leaders held a special European Council meeting on 6 March 2025 to discuss common action aimed at enhancing Europe's sovereignty in the field of defence as well as to reiterate their unwavering support to Ukraine in light of the latest developments. The EU-27 took significant steps to accelerate defence preparedness, agreeing in particular on new instruments to finance defence investment at multiple levels. Regarding Ukraine, ...

One of the first, and boldest, measures taken by Western countries as a response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was the immobilisation of around €260 billion worth of Russian central bank assets held under their jurisdictions. In October 2024, the G7 reached an agreement on the use of the extraordinary revenues generated, to service and repay a US$50 billion loan to Ukraine from G7 countries, while the complex debate on the legality and related risks on the use of the ...

After the fall of the Assad regime, the European Union (EU) is ready to support the Syrian people through the process of transition and reconstruction, including by suspending certain restrictive measures. The Council and the Commission are due to give statements on the issue during Parliament's March plenary session.