20220308 Die Situation an den EU-Grenzen

08.03.2022 Die Situation an den EU-Grenzen

A serious fundamental rights concern

As an organisation working in the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRP) of the EU, we report on their publications when they concern our issues. In the current report we look at the EU borders situation.

EU borders situation: a serious fundamental rights concern in 2021

At the end of 2021, allegations for the treatment of migrants at EU borders as well as difficult conditions in detention and reception centres remained a persistent fundamental rights concern. This is according to the latest migration bulletin from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).

FRA’s latest migration bulletin covers the last three months in 2021. The bulletin mentions allegations of collective expulsions as migrants are turned away at some of the EU’s land and sea borders without an opportunity to apply for international protection.

The migration and asylum pressures at the EU’s Belarusian border also feature where, according to the UN's Refugee Agency (UNHCR), thousands of migrants were stranded along the border in Belarus. As the weather turned cold, reportedly many people died.

The Bulletin also points to allegations of mistreatment of migrants at the borders. Overcrowding, and poor access to clean water and sanitation in detention, reception centres and camps in some countries remains a recurring fundamental rights issue.

This migration bulletin covers 1 October until 31 December 2021. It looks at the fundamental rights situation in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

The next edition will cover the situation resulting from the war in Ukraine. FRA has been publishing its migration bulletins since September 2015.