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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 ...

According to Directive 2008/115/EC, third-country nationals staying illegally on the territory of a European Union (EU) Member State should, as a general rule, be issued a return decision obliging them to leave the EU. However, available data suggest that, among those who receive such a decision, only about a quarter actually leave the EU. The limited effectiveness of the return policy is due to several challenges that the EU and Member States face when carrying out return procedures, including difficulties ...

The IA supports the above proposals with a qualitative assessment of legal, social and economic impacts, complemented by quantified estimates of costs and savings of procedural and administrative costs. Impacts on fundamental rights and digitalisation are also assessed, including concerns raised by stakeholders with respect to data protection. The IA follows a clear intervention logic and is based on solid internal and external sources and various stakeholder consultations. It clearly makes an effort ...

Since the adoption of the Memorandum of Understanding on regulatory cooperation, the European Union and the United Kingdom have organised three meetings for dialogue and cooperation on financial services regulation. The meetings focus on macroeconomic developments, banking and anti-money laundering, capital markets, and digital and sustainable finance.

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 ...

This study constitutes a targeted substitute impact assessment of the Commission’s proposal for a revised Facilitation Directive (COM(2023) 755), presented on 28 November 2023 as part of a package to address migrant smuggling. It provides a critical review of the existing legal and policy framework at EU level and its shortcomings regarding transposition and implementation. It also undertakes a critical and thorough appraisal of the proposed objectives and measures in terms of coherence, effectiveness ...

Access to citizenship status is an important prerequisite for enjoying rights and privileges, such as migration and political rights, as well as for developing a sense of identity and belonging. Since the establishment of Union citizenship, all persons who are nationals or citizens of an EU Member State enjoy the status of EU citizenship, which confers on them a number of additional rights and privileges. However, Member States retain full control over whom they recognise as citizens. Although the ...

According to Directive 2008/115/EC (the Return Directive, RD), third-country nationals (TCNs) staying illegally on the territory of a Member State should, as a general rule, be issued a return decision obliging them to leave the EU. However, available data suggest that among those who receive such a decision, only about a quarter actually leave the EU (see Figure 1). Data on irregular migration, as well as returns statistics, should be used carefully, as they are often incomplete, inconsistent and ...

As part of broader efforts to combat all forms of violence against women and girls, the European Union (EU) is committed to working collectively to eradicate female genital mutilation (FGM) and to supporting its Member States' efforts in this field. The European Commission assesses EU measures to combat FGM every year, on or around 6 February – the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. This publication is a further update of an 'at a glance' note originally published ...

Over the past decade, the EU's asylum and migration systems have been severely tested by several major events, including the 2015-2016 migrant crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic and recent tensions at the EU's eastern border. To address these challenges, in 2020 the European Commission proposed a pact on migration and asylum, a comprehensive legislative framework designed to streamline and harmonise the reception of asylum seekers in the EU. The pact was adopted by the European Parliament and the Council ...