24/04/2025 – 15/05/2025
- Amid concerns among civil society about the EU’s new Return Directive, which continues to expand its list of safe countries of origin and aims to create return centres, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) issued a press release on 6 May under the title “UNHCR welcomes the proposed EU regulation on returns and calls for strong safeguards and a focus on effective and effective returns”. sustainable”. A fairly explanatory title as to the position of the UNHCR on the new directive which seems to encourage the EU in its repressive and anti-migration policy. Although it expresses its support for this initiative under the guise of respecting human rights, the agency promotes above all so-called “voluntary” returns and does not denounce the inhumane practices put in place by the EU such as the detention of migrants.
- In a press release issued on 5 May by the EU Agency for Asylum, changes in the trends in terms of asylum applications were noted. Indeed, for more than 10 years, Germany was the Member State that received the most asylum applications. However, February 2025 marked a turning point: France and Spain recorded more applications than Germany with 13,081 and 12,976 applications respectively. In February 2025, the requests came mainly from Venezuelans
- On May 2, Politico published an article detailing the first diplomatic clash between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the Polish foreign minister. Indeed, the latter criticised the German government’s decision to strengthen border controls. The conservative chancellor has promised to introduce stricter border controls and reject illegal crossings, including for asylum seekers.
- On 2nd May the Swedish government said it intended to significantly increase financial aid for the voluntary return of migrants from 900 to 32,000 euros in order to “better control migration and encourage the return of those who do not integrate or adhere to the Swedish way of life” ; Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson declared: “I don’t think it’s a method that works for a lot of people, but we have an integration problem, and if people who have the legal right to stay in Sweden don’t integrate and really enjoy the Swedish way of life, then at least they might consider going back to their home country.”
- On 29th April the daily newspaper L’Humanité published an article concerning a new measure taken by Denmark against foreign prisoners sentenced to deportation. The latter is preparing to rent 300 prison places in Gnjilane, Kosovo. The Danish Minister of Justice welcomed the cooperation agreement signed in February, saying: “It sends a clear signal to foreign criminals: their future is not in Denmark and they should not serve their sentences here.”