EU to propose new migration rules in latest rightward shift
One of the policies under discussion is restricting the freedom of movement of migrants set for deportation.
third countries
Who were the biggest dunces? Final grades for von der Leyenโs first Commission
Whoโs at the top of the class and who flunked? Here are POLITICO’s grades for each 2019-2024 European commissioner.
VDLโs outgoing migration czar casts doubt on presidentโs migrant returns plan
Ylva Johansson reflects on five years leading one of the EU’s thorniest portfolios.
Commission plans to slash EU embassy staff around the world
Faced with a budget squeeze, the bloc wants to cut back staff and focus on countries “where the EU’s primary interests lie.”
Is Donald Trump about to wreck Brexit?
The U.S. president-electโs return to the world stage comes as Britain and the EU are resetting relations. Brussels sees an opportunity.
UK to sign new agreements on people smuggling with Western Balkan countries
The UK government says that almost 100,000 migrants from third countries transited through the Western Balkans last year, making it “a key route used by those who end up in the EU or UK illegally”.
5 things to know about migration czar Magnus Brunnerโs European Parliament hearing
Treading carefully, Austria’s pick for commissioner pledged new legislation for migration โ and little more.
How to watch the commissioner hearings like a pro
Your step-by-step guide to the European election’s season finale.
EU-Turkish border exposes hell of animal transport
As the European Commission tries to update its decades-old rules, lawmakers are turning the issue into a political battleground.
Putinโs North Koreans now in combat zone, Kyiv says
First military units from DPRK left training grounds in eastern Russia and were spotted in Kursk region on Wednesday, Ukraine’s military intelligence said.
EPPโs flirtation with far rightย in Parliament sparks EU budget fiasco
It was a “mistake” to side with the far right in yet another migration quarrel, top EPP lawmaker said.
Kadis vows to promote active diplomacy for fair fisheries competition with third countries
The Cypriot nominee wants to “put an end to public subsidies that reinforce fishing capacity” through a new WTO agreement.
US and NATO confirm North Korean troops are now in Russia
If they’re going to join Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine on Moscow’s side, that is “a very, very serious issue,” said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Kim Jong Unโs sister calls Ukraine and South Korea โbad dogs bred by the USโ
Kim Yo Jong threatens destruction following the claims of North Korean troops in Russia.
Get North Korean troops out of Putinโs war now, Seoul warns Moscowย
South Korea summoned Russia’s envoy to protest against Pyongyang’s participation in war on Ukraine.
If you think Trumpโs migration policies are extreme, look at the EUโs
As the anti-immigrant feeling surges in popularity in Europe, its leaders are embracing formerly taboo approaches to their borders.
Cypriot President Christodoulides urges more migration deals with third countries
Cypriot President Christodoulides urges more migration deals with third countries
Migration concerns take centre stage at European Council summit
Join host Giada Santana and senior editor Sarantis Michalopoulos as they dive into the heated discussion on return hubs, bilateral agreements, and the policies that could redefine the future of EU migration.
โSafe countries of originโ in asylum law: the CJEU first interprets the concept
Professor Steve Peers, Royal
Holloway University of London
Photo credit: viewsridge,
via Wikimedia
commons
Introduction
Along with judgments on Afghan
women asylum seekers (discussed here)
and the status of Turkey as a โsafe third coun…
Pyrrhic victory for the Greek government: the CJEU rules on Turkey as a โsafe third countryโ
Professor Steve Peers, Royal Holloway University of London
Photo credit: Mstyslav Chernov, via Wikimedia
Commons
Hamster idiom credit: Adam Sharp
(Thanks to Zoe Gardner for discussion of the case;
the following analysis is my own)
Introduc…
The EU is helping Turkey forcibly deport migrants to Syria and Afghanistan
European taxpayers finance ill-treatment and forced expulsion, an investigation found.
Commission delays deforestation lawโs implementation following global outcry
The decision by the EU executive follows months of pressure by the industry and third countries calling on appropriate guidance to help companies to properly implement the deforestation law.
โTidal waveโ: Europeโs populists push for migrant clampdown as Trump cranks up rhetoric
France and Germany have joined calls for a tougher EU migration policy following a series of far-right election wins.
Putin will likely control part of Ukraine when war ends, Czech president says
But Petr Pavel, a strong supporter of Ukraine, reiterates that neither Moscow nor Kyiv can expect total victory.
Biden administration moves to ban imports of Chinese โconnectedโ cars and parts
The Commerce Department is publishing a proposed rule today to ban imports of Chinese and Russian vehicles, as well as key hardware and software components, that could be used to spy on Americans or potentially even take control of their cars. โCars today have cameras, microphones, GPS tracking, and other technologies connected to the internet,โ [โฆ]
Czech crisis manager set to become EUโs top global dealmaker
As boss of the EUโs โฌ300 billion Global Gateway infrastructure initiative, Jozef Sรญkelaโs job will be to beat China at its own game.
Middle East pager attacks ignite fear of supply chain warfare
The operations in Lebanon and Syria could spark a global reckoning over vulnerabilities faced by tech companies with global manufacturing operations.
The European Green Deal must go global
Managing emerging international tensions will require much stronger green diplomacy, as well as a more strategic and coherent approach to the blocโs green partnerships.
Poor European wheat harvests could boost Russian economy, warn experts
Poor soft wheat harvests in Europe and increased demand in third countries could intensify the โRussification of the marketโ to the detriment of the EU, according to experts.
EU imports from Russia drop to record lows but signs of sanctions circumvention persist
EU imports from Russia slid to record lows in the second quarter this year, fresh data published on Wednesday (28 August) showed, but signs persist that Brussels’ sanctions on Moscow are being circumvented via trade with third countries.
German CDU suggests โnational emergencyโ to curb migration
German opposition leader Friedrich Merz urged the government to enforce the Dublin Regulation after meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday (27 August) and suggested declaring a state of national emergency if the rules cannot be enforced.
Swedish Foreign Minister opens the door to new sanctions against Chinese companies
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrรถm opened the door to new EU sanctions against Chinese companies, accused of circumventing EU sanctions against Russia, to export goods via third countries into the country.
Ukraine war briefing: Turkey launches new Ukrainian warship
Crimea under missile and drone attack; Estonia to clamp down on sanctions evasion via its Russian border. What we know on day 891The Ukrainian first lady, Olena Zelenska, has attended in Turkey the launch of the Hetman Ivan Vyhovskyi, an anti-submarine…
Is IRISยฒ heading for a rethink?
SNEAK PEEK โ The EUโs IRISยฒ satellite communications network project is increasingly troubled. โ NATO seeks to make procuring arms faster, the allianceโs procurement agency boss Stacy Cummings told me. โ The U.K. and Germany team up on defense as fears grow that U.S. presidential contender Donald Trump will ditch Ukraine if he wins in [โฆ]
Scholz and ล efฤoviฤ ink lithium deal with Serbia amid environmental concerns
The agreement would benefit carmakers like Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis, but is deeply unpopular in the country.
Labourโs top policy priorities
A deep dive into what Keir Starmer’s government will tackle in their first 100 days and then in their first year.
Germanyโs Scholz breaks bad on migration
Multiple high-profile acts of violence, and the rising popularity of the far right. have convinced the German chancellor to deport migrants who commit crimes.
EU toughens Belarus sanctions to curb Russia evasion
Brussels, Belgium, June 26, 2024 (AFP) – EU countries on Wednesday agreed new sanctions on Belarus over the Ukraine war to align them more closely with measures targeting Russia, in a bid to curb evasion of the penalties, officials said.”EU Ambassadors…
Germany wants upcoming Commission to pursue โEU onlyโ free trade agenda
Ahead of the EU leadersโ meeting on Thursday and Friday (27-28 June), German Chancellor Olaf Scholz insisted for the next European Commission to conclude more free trade agreements (FTA) with third countries โ without consensus among EU member states i…
Ukraine war briefing: Russia blames US for deadly Ukrainian attack on occupied Crimea
Moscow says responsibility for strikes using US-supplied Atacms missiles โborne above all by Washingtonโ. What we know on day 852Russia claimed on Sunday that the US was responsible for a Ukrainian attack on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula in whi…
Pressure to allow asylum processing in third countries mounts on Germanyโs Scholz
The German states were pushing the federal government during a summit on Thursday to allow the outsourcing of asylum procedures to third states, with chancellor Olaf Scholz promising keep exploring options.
Putin warns South Korea: Sending killer weapons to Ukraine would be a โbig mistakeโ
Russian president delivered the warning after Seoul announced it would consider arming Kyiv.
A more humane approach to asylum is in Europeโs interest
In the coming years, thereโs a real opportunity for fresh thinking that both protects those seeking safety and benefits newcomers and EU citizens alike.
Recent asylum case law of the CJEU: Distinction, Integration or Extension from ‘Mainstream’ EU law?
Professor Steve Peers, Royal Holloway University of
London
Photo credit: Luxofluxo, via Wikimedia Commons
Introduction
While attention has been focussed
on the overhaul of EU law on asylum โ which I have analysed in an upcoming
article…
EUโs 14th package of Russia sanctions held up by Germany
BRUSSELS, June 14 (Reuters) – The European Union failed on Friday to agree a 14th package of sanctions against Russia, EU diplomats said, as Germany held out over the extent to which EU companies would be responsible for sanctions violations. Officials…
G7 leaders to issue strong warning against China trade practices
The G7 leaders also hardened their tone against Beijing over its support of Russia and called on China to โcease the transfer of dual-use materials.”
US expands sanctions threat against banks dealing with Russia
The sweeping new package of sanctions and export controls comes as President Joe Biden heads to the G7 meetings in Italy where leaders are poised to discuss ways to ratchet up pressure on Russia and boost support for Ukraine.
Belarus and Russia to conduct joint nuclear drills
Belarus said the exercises are necessary due to some Western countriesโ โplans to use military force against our state.โ
Deforestation law risks pushing Indonesia toward China
However well-intended, the EU’s directive has particularly rattled producers in the Indo-Pacific region.
EU Media Freedom Act: the convolutions of the new legislation
Samira Asmaa Allioui,
research and tutorial fellow at the Centre d’รฉtudes internationales et
europรฉennes de l’Universitรฉ de Strasbourg
Photo credit: Bin im Garten, via Wikimedia
Commons
Journalists are under pressure in
differ…
Putin warns Europe of asymmetric response to Ukraineย โescalationโ
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday (5 June) that Russia could provide long-range weapons to third countries to strike Western targets in response to NATO allies allowing Ukraine to use their arms to attack Russian territory.
Labourโs election policy positions, tracked
Absolutely everything you need to know about what the opposition party is promising ahead of the July 4 election.
EUโs Charles Michel backs recognition of Palestinian statehood
Meanwhile, the Belgian presidency of the Council of EU is trying to find a common position among the 27 member countries of the bloc.
Europe is watching UKโs election battle over deporting migrants to Rwanda
EU governments used to castigate Rishi Sunak’s flagship Rwanda scheme: not any more.
The Kremlinโs growing influence in Orbรกnโs Hungary
The deepening ties between Russia and Hungary canโt be allowed to go unchecked any longer.
EU should not โtrade in human beingsโ, warns Amnesty International
The European Union should not ‘trade’ with migrants or apply a ‘self-serving solidarity’ by outsourcing the management of its migration policy to third countries, including Libya or Tunisia, where human rights are not guaranteed, Amnesty International …
Georgians fighting for Europe fear Brussels missing in action
While Washington warns of sanctions amid a heavy-handed crackdown on protesters, the EU is struggling to even get its own story straight.
How Turkey became Putinโs โpit stopโ for selling camouflaged fuel to the EU
Moscow bagged โฌ3 billion through a sanctions loophole that allows Turkey to relabel Russian gas and ship it to the EU.
Outsourcing migration handling: Election fuss or a new EU paradigm?
EU member states should focus on the implementation of the recently agreed migration pact which creates a โwin-winโ situation, an EU official told Euractiv commenting on reports that some EU capitals are pushing to outsource migration procedures to thi…
EU too slow in getting back misspent funds, Court of Auditors warns
The European Commission is too slow when it comes to retrieving misspent EU funds, the EU Court of Auditors said in a new report published on Tuesday (7 May), noting that it takes particularly long for money that goes into third countries.
The Brief โ Brace for frenzy of EU migration deals with third countries
Distrustful of the freshly passed asylum and migration pact, EU countries and the European Commission have turned to third-country deals to curb irregular migration, thus finally aligning with Hungary, until recently criticised as a migration hardliner.
ember states push to outsource migration procedures to non-EU countries
A group of EU member states, led by Czechia and Denmark, are preparing a letter to the European Commission calling for migrants trying to reach the EU to be transferred to selected third countries before reaching the blocโs shores โ a procedure experts…
High Trust Arrangements in a Low Trust Context: The Rwanda Policyโs impact on the Common Travel Area
Professor Colin Murray,
University of Newcastle, and Professor Steve Peers, Royal Holloway
University of London Photo credit: Zairon, via Wikimedia CommonsIntroduction
The latest spat between the UK
and Ireland over the knock-on conse…
Facebook and Instagram hit with EU probes over Russian disinformation
Hundreds of millions of Europeans will cast their ballots on June 6-9 amid a surge of online disinformation.
Ireland wants to return asylum seekers to the UK
Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee will discuss migration with UK Home Secretary James Cleverly on Monday.
Revealed โ the next Brexit headache on the Irish border
The U.K. and EU are planning separate systems to tax carbon-heavy imports, prompting familiar fears about the impact in Northern Ireland.
Built fjord tough: Why one American ally is surging defense spending
Oslo’s $152B military spending plan ranks as the most ambitious long-term commitment to security in the country’s history.
EU must protect fishing industry from unfair competition, study warns
The EU fisheries sector must regain its competitiveness and protect itself from unfair competition from third countries, a report presented at the European Parliament on Wednesday (20 March) recommended.
US to Ukraine: Heed our words, not our actions
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin didn’t have much to offer Kyiv during a meeting of allies organizing military aid for Ukraine.
EU leaders flock to Egypt to ink โฌ7.4B economic aid, migration deal
Major package comes as EU officials tout new focus on curbing migration ahead of European Parliament election.
EU election needs to bring out the best of Europe โ not the worst
European citizens need their institutions to recognize the demands of interdependence and global risk. They need a global vision โ not just local action.ย
Giorgia Meloniโs plan to run Europe โ and befriend Donald Trump
The Italian prime minister is courting Trump and preparing to tilt European policy her way.
EU leaders to call for more sanctions targeting Belarus, North Korea, Iran
EU leaders are next week expected to call for new sanctions targeting Belarus, North Korea, and Iran over their support to Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine as the bloc attempts to further crack down on circumvention by third countries
Europeโs farmer protests have been fertile ground for Russian propaganda
While starting at the grassroots level, the protests have been keenly exploited by Russia to sow division and undermine popular support for Ukraineโs defense.
The EUโs carbon tax may devastate a country it is trying to keep alive: Ukraine
Ukrainian steel and iron firms need EU buyers more than ever. But a looming EU tax in 2026 will cost them millions if rapid changes aren’t made.
Fico says Czechia has โinterestโ in supporting Ukraine war, after Prague burns bridge
In todayโs edition of the Capitals, find out more about German Federal States demanding progress on outsourcing asylum applications to third countries, Kyiv proposing temporary trade restrictions with the EU in exchange for a Russian grain import ban, …
German Federal States demand progress on outsourcing asylum applications to third countries
In a lasting dispute over asylum policy between the German federal states and the government, the states have now made demands to proceed with outsourcing asylum applications to third countries, setting a deadline for the government.
Von der Leyenโs EU group plans Rwanda-style asylum schemes
Centre-right European Peopleโs party says it wants to create deportation deals with non-EU countries to head off rise of far rightThe European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, has given her support to controversial migration reforms that would i…
Third countries urged to adopt the EU fisheries digital control system
Fisheries ministers reiterated the importance of protecting the EU from imports of illegally caught fish, calling on third countries to adopt the digital catch certification system, which will become compulsory for EU national authorities in 2026.
EU sanctions on Russia โmassively circumventedโ via third countries, study finds
EU sanctions on Russia are being โmassively circumventedโ via third countries, a study released on Monday (26 February) revealed, corroborating mounting concerns that large portions of European exports to other jurisdictions are ultimately re-directed …
Farmers from 12 EU countries continue to protest agricultural policies
Farmers complain that the EUโs environmental policies, such as the Green Deal, and low-cost imports from third countries which they say don’t have to respect such high environmental standards.
The Baltic border loophole in EUโs Russia sanctionsย
Customs officials in EU frontline states know that truckers are shipping banned goods into Russia โย but they canโt do much about it.
EU proposes sanctions on Chinese firms aiding Russian war effort
Bloc hoping to close loopholes that allow Moscow to route military technology via third countriesThe EU is proposing to sanction companies in mainland China for the first time as part of its latest measures aimed at shutting down loopholes that allow R…
MEPs approve plant protection proposal, creation of task force to combat pests
As part of the revision of plant health legislation voted through the European Parliament on Tuesday (13 February), MEPs are proposing the creation of an EU plant health emergency team to help Member States or third countries prevent the emergence of o…
EU proposes sanctions on Chinese firms for helping Russia
Brussels wants to sanction companies in mainland China for the first time, and other countries, as war in Ukraine nears 2-year mark.
Russia-Ukraine war live: Ukrainian air defence systems destroy Russian drones and cruise missile โ as it happened
Ukrainian air force says 14 out of 17 drones and one Kh-59 cruise missile destroyed after Russia launched themGerman chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday said defence companies could count on his government ramping up military spending and that it would me…
Explainer: How to make sense of the EUโs defence funds and programmes
The EUโs defence programmes and funds have multiplied after the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine, to boost collaboration in different steps of an equipmentโs life cycle: research, development, production, acquisition, and transfer to third countries.ย …
Greens push for EU climate neutrality by 2040 in election manifesto
Despite growing discontent at the EU’s climate agenda, the Greens double down on their demand for ambitious sustainability measures.
MEPs reject Commission proposal to allow higher pesticide level in imported foods
The European Parliament objected to raising the limit of the maximum quantity of residues of the insecticide thiacloprid, banned in the EU from 2020, on more than 30 products coming from third countries.
Russia finds way around sanctions on battlefield tech: report
That doesnโt mean sanctions have failed; they just need to be enforced better โ including by requiring Western companies to track their own products, US-Ukrainian research team finds.
The New EU Asylum Laws, part 3: the Resettlement Regulation
Professor Steve Peers,
Royal Holloway University of London*
Photo credit: Voice of
America, via Wikimedia
Commons *Sentences with an asterisk have been updated since the original post in light of later developments. Most recent update: 14 May …
EU strikes historic migration deal
Negotiators work through the night to agree on the overhaul of the EUโs asylum procedures.
EU ministers propose walls, fences, surveillance for migration โsolidarityโ mechanism
EU ministers are ready to fund walls, fences, and barbed wire in third countries to prevent migrants’ departures, and boost surveillance at EU borders as part of a migration โsolidarityโ mechanism, according to closed-doors negotiations among EU lawmak…
EU countries bin โฌ4B worth of COVID vaccines
A POLITICO analysis shows that more than 200M unwanted COVID-19 jabs have been destroyed.
CDU seeks to win back German voters with its own Rwanda asylum plan
Official says party favours sending refugees to third countries such as Rwanda for application processingGermanyโs opposition conservatives are seeking to win back voters with a sweeping change to the countryโs immigration and asylum policy, including …
German conservatives break with Merkel on migration
Christian Democrats called for an overhaul of asylum rules to ‘regain control’ of migration.
Sanctions arenโt working: How the West enables Russiaโs war on Ukraine
The EU is pointing the finger at Chinese suppliers, but itโs Western companies that make the most critical components used in Russiaโs arsenal of weapons.
G7 to sanction Russian diamonds as of Januaryย
Russian diamonds are one of the last resources not sanctioned by the G7, meaning the profits from selling them can go into the Kremlin’s war chest.
Nepal arrests 10 on suspicion of recruiting locals for Russian army
At least six Nepalis have already been killed in Ukraine fighting for Moscow, Kathmandu Post reports.
LEAK: EU Commission queries member states, defence industry on draft industrial strategy
European Commission defence experts are asking EU countries and the arms industry how it can make the latter more flexible, cooperative and less dependent on third countries ideas on mapping production capacity, setting up a one-stop shop, and securing…