Newsletter on migration and refugees - February 2017
Mission to Slovenia to discuss amendments to the Aliens Act
On 25-26 January 2017, Tomáš Boček, the Secretary General´s Special Representative on migration and refugees, travelled to Slovenia, together with a team of experts, to discuss - with the Speaker of Parliament, government officials and senior civil servants - amendments to the Aliens Act that...
GRETA's first urgent procedure report on Italy
The Council of Europe Group of experts against human trafficking (GRETA) published on 30 January 2017 an urgent procedure report concerning Italy. The report reveals gaps in the detection of victims of trafficking among newly arriving migrants and unaccompanied children. Particular attention is...
Concerns about Slovenia and five-step plan to abolish migrant detention across Europe
In a letter to the President of the National Assembly of Slovenia, Commissioner Muižnieks expressed his concerns about the non-compliance with international human rights and refugee protection standards of amendments to the Aliens Act that would be activated when the migration situation...
Judgments on pushbacks and refoulement
In its Chamber judgment in Kebe and Others v. Ukraine, handed down on 12 January 2017, which concerned attempts by nationals of Eritrea and Ethiopia to obtain asylum in Ukraine, the Court found in particular a violation of Article 13 (right to an effective remedy) in conjunction with Article 3...
CEB approves new lending projects and finances shelter for migrants in Serbia
The Administrative Council of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) recently approved 10 new lending projects, four of which aim to directly or indirectly benefit migrants and refugees. Amongst these projects, a €100 million loan in France will part-finance the acquisition and...
Campaign to End Immigration Detention of Children
The “Parliamentary Campaign to End Immigration Detention of Children” broadens its activities to include the intergovernmental sector, through a joint project with the Children’s Rights Division. The objective of the Parliamentary Campaign is to strengthen the role of national parliaments in...