EuroMed Rights - 15/05/2025

In an article published by EUobserver on 23 May, it is reported that nine EU member states would like to weaken the European Court of Human Rights. Denmark, which will hold the presidency of the Council of the EU from July, is asking for more leeway to deport migrants. Signatories to the initiative include Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Italy and Poland. These member states criticise the European Court of Human Rights’ interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights as too restrictive to allow for the expulsion of “criminal foreign nationals”.
On 21st May the Polish Parliament voted in favour of extending the temporary suspension of the right to asylum at the border with Belarus for a period of 60 days. The UNHCR had declared in February that this measure contravenes international asylum law as well as European asylum law.
The Polish Prime Minister said on 20 May that he would be ready to close the border if Germany tries to send migrants back to Poland.
On 20th May the Commission announced the revision of the concept of “safe third country” going even further in its security approach to immigration. According to this proposal, member states will be able to expel asylum seekers to countries where they have simply transited or even where they have never been, as long as there is a bilateral agreement or an informal arrangement. It should be noted that the countries to which migrants will be expelled are not even obliged to accept them. In addition, the Commission is considering abolishing the automatic right to remain in the territory in the event of an appeal. Under the new rules, appeals against inadmissibility decisions based on the safe third country concept will no longer automatically suspend expulsion. The UNHCR criticizes several aspects of the European Commission’s proposal and calls for strengthened safeguards surrounding the transfers of asylum seekers to so-called safe third countries, particularly to prevent violations of the principle of non-refoulement. However, UNHCR supports certain points of the Commission’s proposal, notably the importance of basing transfers on a meaningful connection between the asylum seekers and the third country of transfer—an approach it considers the most sustainable and reasonable. UNHCR therefore does not reject the concept of “safe third country.”
According to a press release published at the beginning of May, the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) wants to launch a new reception centre that will increase “voluntary” and forced returns. The project is expected to start in June at a reception centre in Vantaa.

15/05/2025 – 13/06/2025

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