APAP, Joanna.: Vulnerability of unaccompanied and separated child migrants. 

• Resumen: El Fondo de las Naciones Unidas para la Infancia (Unicef) ha estimado que en el año 2015, había en todo el mundo no menos de 100 000 niños migrantes y refugiados no acompañados. Europol ha declarado que al menos 10 000 niños refugiados no acompañados han desaparecido después de llegar a Europa. Hay varias razones por las que un niño puede estar acompañado o separado, incluida la persecución del niño o de los padres; conflicto internacional y la guerra civil; trata de personas y el contrabando, venta por los padres; separación accidental de los padres a lo largo de su viaje; y la búsqueda de mejores oportunidades económicas. El Comité de los Derechos del Niño ha identificado una serie de deficiencias en la protección en el tratamiento de estos niños, incluyendo que los niños no acompañados y separados se enfrentan a mayores riesgos de, entre otras cosas, la explotación sexual y el abuso, el reclutamiento militar, el trabajo infantil (incluyendo, por familias de acogida) y la detención. En muchos países, los niños no acompañados y separados se les niega la entrada o detenidos por funcionarios de fronteras o de inmigración. En otros casos, son admitidos, pero se les niega el acceso a los procedimientos de asilo o sus solicitudes no se manejan de una edad y las cuestiones de género. Algunos países hacen los niños separados que han sido reconocidos como refugiados solicitar la reagrupación familiar. Muchos los menores que un régimen sólo temporal que finaliza al cumplir los 18 años, y hay pocos programas eficaces de retorno. La situación de vulnerabilidad de los menores migrantes no acompañados y separados de todo el mundo, y las amenazas que enfrentan necesitan ser tratadas, en particular con el aumento significativo en su número en la actual "crisis de los refugiados” (Texto completo).

Noticia relacionada:

• Rajoy presidirá el 20 de diciembre en la ONU un debate sobre la trata de personas. 

 Estudios relacionados:

• RADJENOVIC, Unja.: “Disappearance of migrant children in Europe”. According to Europol, at least 10 000 migrant and refugee children have gone missing after arriving in Europe. Many of them are feared to be exploited and abused for sexual or labour purposes. The Parliament has on several occasions called on the Commission to address the disappearance of migrant children in the EU (Texto completo). 

Otros estudios:  

• APAP, Joanna/ORAV, Anita.: Safe countries of origin: Proposed common EU list.  Overview: As part of the European Agenda on Migration, the Commission proposed a regulation on 9 September 2015 to establish a common EU list of safe countries of origin, initially comprising Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey. The aim is to fast-track asylum applications from citizens of these countries, which are considered ’safe’ in full compliance with the criteria set out in the Asylum Procedures Directive 2013/32/EU and the principle of non-refoulement. Currently, lists are defined at national level and not coordinated, which can lead to different recognition rates of similar asylum applications, and thus create incentives for secondary movements and asylum- shopping (Texto completo).
• ORAV, Anita.: Common procedure for asylum. As one of five key acts of the common European asylum system (CEAS), the Asylum Procedures Directive sets out common procedures for Member States for granting and withdrawing international protection in accordance with the Qualification Directive. Following the large influx of asylum-seekers to the European Union since 2014, the directive came under criticism for being too complex and leaving Member States too broad a discretion, leading to differences in length of procedures and procedural guarantees, for example through the use of accelerated procedures and safe country lists. As part of the reform of the CEAS, on 13 July 2016, the Commission published a proposal to replace the current directive with a regulation establishing a common procedure for international protection in all Member States. The choice of a directly applicable regulation is expected to bring about full harmonisation of the procedures, ensuring same steps, timeframes and safeguards across the EU. First edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure (Texto completo).
• ORAV, Anita.: Recast Eurodac Regulation. Overview: Eurodac is a biometric database in which Member States are required to enter the fingerprint data of asylum-seekers in order to identify where they entered the EU. Established in 2000 and reviewed in 2013, its main purpose is to facilitate the application of the Dublin Regulation. The 2013 revision broadened the scope to enable law enforcement authorities too to access the Eurodac database. As part of the reform of the Common European Asylum System, the European Commission proposes a recast Eurodac  Regulation. The proposal is now with the co-legislators, who need to ensure that the reinforcement of the system is in compliance with the fundamental rights of migrants as well as the principles of data protection Eurodac is a biometric database in which Member States are required to enter the fingerprint data of asylum-seekers in order to identify where they entered the EU. Established in 2000 and reviewed in 2013, its main purpose is to facilitate the application of the Dublin Regulation. The 2013 revision broadened the scope to enable law enforcement authorities too to access the Eurodac database. As part of the reform of the Common European Asylum System, the European Commission proposes a recast Eurodac Regulation. The proposal is now with the co-legislators, who need to ensure that the reinforcement of the system is in compliance with the fundamental rights of migrants as well as the principles of data protection (Texto completo).
•  D’ALFONSO, Alessandro/ORAV, Anita.: "Smart Borders: EU Entry/Exit System". Overview: In anticipation of increased traveller flows and in response to security concerns regarding the control of EU external borders, on 6 April 2016, the Commission presented a revised proposal for establishing an Entry/Exit System for recording the border-crossings of all non-EU nationals. It builds on the Smart Borders package presented in 2013, which did not secure consensus among the co-legislators and was the subject of additional technical and operational studies completed in 2015. Under the new proposal, the current system of manual stamping of passports would be replaced by automation of certain preparatory border control procedures. The system would be interconnected with the Visa Information System (VIS) database and used by the same authorities: border control and consular posts. Moreover, it would allow law enforcement authorities to perform restricted queries in the database for criminal identification and intelligence to prevent serious crime and terrorism (Texto completo).
• SABBATI, Giulio.: "Recent migration flows to the EU". This infographic aims to present the latest available data in terms of migrant flows. It covers the detection of illegal crossing along the EU’s external borders and the number of asylum applicants in EU Member States in the year 2016. Previous editions of this Infographic were issued in September 2015 (PE 565.905) and in April 2016 (PE 580.893) (Texto completo).
•  IVANO, Detelin.: "Reform of the Dublin system", The refugee and migrant crisis in Europe has exposed the need for reform of the Common European Asylum System, in general, and of the Dublin rules, in particular. The Commission’s proposal of 4 May 2016 to reform the Dublin system does not change the existing criteria for determining which Member State is responsible for examining an asylum application. Instead of a fundamental overhaul of the Dublin regime, as suggested by the Parliament, the Commission proposes to streamline and supplement the current rules with a corrective allocation mechanism. This mechanism would be triggered automatically were a Member State to be faced with disproportionate numbers of asylum-seekers. If a Member State decided not to accept the allocation of asylum-seekers from a Member State under pressure, a ’solidarity contribution’ of €250 000 per applicant would have to be made instead (Texto completo).
• RADJENOVIC. Anja.: "Reception of asylum-seekers-recast Directive", States must treat asylum-seekers and refugees according to the appropriate standards laid down in human rights and refugee law. The current migration crisis revealed wide divergences in the level of reception conditions provided by Member States. While some are facing problems in ensuring adequate and dignified treatment of applicants, in others the standards of reception provided are more generous. This has led to secondary movements of asylum-seekers and refugees and has put pressure on certain Member States. The aim of the proposed recast directive, which would replace the current Reception Conditions Directive, is to ensure greater harmonisation of reception standards across all Member States. In doing so, applicants for asylum could experience similar treatment as regards reception conditions provided in EU Member States. First edition. The ’EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure (Texto completo).
• DUMBRAV, Costica.: "European Union Agency for Asylum". The European Asylum Support Office provides Members States with support in fulfilling their obligations under the Common European Asylum System. Since its establishment in 2010, the support office’s role has been progressively expanded in order to reflect changes in the EU’s legal framework on asylum and to respond to the growing needs of Member States. In the context of the current migration and refugee crisis, the European Commission has presented a proposal to amend and expand the mandate of European Asylum Support Office with a view to turning it into a fully fledged agency. According to the proposal, the agency will ensure the efficient and uniform application of European Union asylum law in order to achieve greater convergence between Member States’ asylum systems. The proposal is part of a first set of legislative proposals put forward by the European Commission in May 2016 in order to reform the Common European Asylum System. Second edition. The ’EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure (Texto completo).
• VORONOVA, Sofija.: Directiva sobre la lucha contra el terrorismo". La creciente amenaza terrorista ha provocado una acción a escala europea e internacional. Ante el terrorismo de origen local y el fenómeno de los «combatientes extranjeros», la Unión ha intentado reforzar su arsenal para la lucha contra el terrorismo. Durante la segunda sesión plenaria de febrero se espera la votación del Parlamento del acuerdo alcanzado en el diálogo tripartito sobre la propuesta legislativa para ampliar el marco actual para la tipificación de delitos de terrorismo (Texto completo).
• RADJENOVIC. Anja.: "Refuerzo de los controles en las fronteras exteriores". Los controles en las fronteras exteriores son fundamentales para asegurar una adecuada libertad de circulación y la seguridad en el espacio Schengen. Dado que la Unión ha estado encarando riesgos para su seguridad interna (en particular debido al incremento del número de ataques terroristas y las amenazas que representan los «combatientes extranjeros», muchos de los cuales son ciudadanos de la Unión que gozan del derecho a la libre circulación), está decidida a reforzar el control de sus fronteras exteriores. Está previsto que durante el periodo parcial de sesiones de febrero el Parlamento vote un acuerdo, alcanzado en un diálogo tripartito, sobre una propuesta destinada a asegurar controles sistemáticos, mediante la consulta de las bases de datos pertinentes, de los nacionales de la Unión que cruzan las fronteras exteriores de esta (Texto completo).
• LAZAROU, Eleni.: "Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration". On 27 January 2017, newly installed US President, Donald Trump, signed an executive order, which, amongst other things, suspended nearly all travellers from seven Muslim-majority states from entry to the United States. The executive order has led to protests in the country and has been challenged in court, while several international leaders have spoken out against it (Texto completo).
• RADJENOVIC, Unja.: Desaparición de los menores migrantes en Europa. Resumen: Según Europol, por lo menos, 10 000 menores migrantes y refugiados han desaparecido después de su llegada a Europa. Se teme que muchos de ellos hayan sido explotados u objeto de abusos
  sexuales o utilizados como mano de obra. En varias ocasiones, el Parlamento ha instado a la Comisión a ocuparse de la desaparición de menores migrantes en la Unión. La Comisión debería hacer una declaración al respecto en la sesión plenaria de marzo (Texto completo).
• RADJENOVIC, Unja.:  European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). Following recent terrorist attacks and uncontrolled migration flows to the EU, strengthening the EU’s external borders has been one of the measures targeted to ensure internal security and to preserve freedom of movement in the Schengen area. While the existing border management information systems do address some of the information gaps concerning non-EU citizens coming into the EU, there is a lack of information related to visa-exempt third-country nationals arriving at the Schengen external borders. The European Commission is therefore proposing to set up an automated system that would gather information on visa-exempt travellers prior to their arrival, in order to determine any irregular migration, security or public-health risks associated with them. The proposal follows similar models already existing in the USA, Canada and Australia, among others (Texto completo).
• MAŃKO, Rafa.: Justice programme (2014-2020). The Justice programme aims at contributing to the development of the European area of justice based on mutual recognition of judicial decisions from the Member States and mutual trust between their national judiciaries. It promotes in particular judicial cooperation, judicial training, as well as effective access to justice in Europe, including rights of crime victims. The programme has been established by Regulation No 1382/2013 for the 2014-2020 period. All Member States except the United Kingdom and Denmark participate (Texto completo). 
• KISS, Monika.: Posting of Workers Directive. Posting of workers plays an important role in the internal market, particularly in the cross-border provision of services. While the number of posted workers continues to increase significantly, problems such as unfair practices and unequal remunerations persist. In addition, the correct balance between the freedom to provide cross-border services and the social rights of workers needs to be adapted to today`s situation. The targeted revision of the Posting of Workers Directive (96/71/EC) proposed by the Commission would bring changes in three main areas: the remuneration of posted workers (making it equal to that of local workers, even when subcontracting), more coherent rules on temporary agency workers, as well as long-term posting. Despite the ’yellow card’ procedure triggered by 11 Member States because of subsidiarity concerns, the European Commission stands by its initial proposal. Stakeholders and advisory committees have emphasised sector-specific differences to posting, the danger of ’cascade subcontracting’ practices, as well as the importance of collective agreements. The EMPL Committee’s draft report seeks to strike a balance between a level playing field in the provision of services and sound social protection of workers. Second edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure (Texto completo). 
• DUMBRAV, Costica.:  "Revision of the Schengen Information System for law enforcement". The Schengen Information System (SIS) is a large-scale information database that supports external border control and law enforcement cooperation in the Schengen states. It enables competent authorities, such as police and border guards, to enter and consult alerts on certain categories of wanted or missing persons and lost or stolen property. In December 2016, the European Commission adopted a package of proposals aimed at responding more effectively to new migration and security challenges. One of these proposals is focused on improving and extending the use of the SIS in the field of police cooperation and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. It clarifies procedures, creates new alerts and checks, extends the use of biometrics, and enlarges access for law enforcement authorities. The proposal is part of a legislative package that includes a proposal to revise the rules of the SIS in the field of border checks and a proposal for establishing a new role of the SIS in the return of illegally staying third-country nationals (Texto completo).
• DUMBRAV, Costica.: "Revision of the Schengen Information System for border checks". The Schengen Information System (SIS) is a large-scale information database that supports external border control and law enforcement cooperation in the Schengen states. It enables competent authorities, such as police and border guards, to enter and consult alerts on wanted or missing persons and lost or stolen property. In December 2016, the European Commission put forward a legislative package containing several proposals aimed at responding more effectively to new migration and security challenges. One focuses on improving and extending the use of the SIS in the field of border checks. It provides for more effective use of fingerprints and facial images in the SIS and would oblige Member States to record all entry bans issued to third-country nationals staying illegally in their territory. The package also includes proposals to revise the rules of the SIS in the field of police cooperation and judicial cooperation in criminal matters and to establish a new role for the SIS in the return of third-country nationals staying illegally in the territory of a Member State (Texto completo). 
• DUMBRAV, Costica.: "Use of the Schengen Information. System for the return of illegally staying third-country nationals". The Schengen Information System (SIS) is a large-scale information database that supports external border control and law enforcement cooperation in the Schengen states. It enables competent authorities, such as police and border guards, to enter and consult alerts on certain categories of wanted or missing persons and lost or stolen property. In December 2016, the European Commission put forward a legislative package containing several proposals aimed at responding more effectively to new migration and security challenges. One of these proposals is focused on extending the use of the SIS for returning illegally staying third-country nationals. In particular, this proposal introduces an obligation for Member States to enter all return decisions in the SIS. The main aims of the proposal are to enhance the enforcement of the EU return policy and to reduce the incentives to irregular migration to the EU. The other parts of the package concern making more effective use of SIS in border checks and allowing access for law enforcement purposes (Texto completo).
• ORAV, Anita.: "Common procedure for asylum", Resumen: As one of five key acts of the common European asylum system (CEAS), the Asylum Procedures Directive sets out common procedures for Member States for granting and withdrawing international protection in accordance with the Qualification Directive. Following the large influx of asylum-seekers to the European Union since 2014, the directive came under criticism for being too complex and leaving Member States too broad a discretion, leading to differences in length of procedures and procedural guarantees, for example through the use of accelerated procedures and safe country lists. As part of the reform of the CEAS, on 13 July 2016, the Commission published a proposal to replace the current directive with a regulation establishing a common procedure for international protection in all Member States. The choice of a directly applicable regulation is expected to bring about full harmonisation of the procedures, ensuring same steps, timeframes and safeguards across the EU. Second edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure (Texto completo). 
• ORAV, Anita.: "International Roma Day", Resumen: Since 1990, 8 April has been marked every year as International Roma Day, providing an opportunity both to discuss the situation of Roma, and to celebrate Romani culture (Texto completo).
• ORAV, Anita.: "Visa liberalisation for Ukraine", Resumen: Building on its Visa Liberalisation Dialogues, the European Commission is proposing to waive visa requirements for 45 million Ukrainian citizens. In parallel, the European Union (EU) has revised its visa suspension mechanism, reinforcing safeguards to apply to all visa liberalisation agreements (Texto completo). 
• ORAV, Anita.: "How the asylum procedure works in the EU". Resumen: The Common European Asylum System (CEAS) sets common minimum standards across the EU, while Member States are responsible for implementing asylum legislation and examining individual asylum applications. The graphic gives an overview of the main steps in the current asylum procedure, after the Member State responsible has been determined on the basis of the criteria laid out in the Dublin Regulation. The other key acts which make up the CEAS regulate different stages of the procedure. The system is currently under review and the European Commission has proposed to recast all five main instruments (Texto completo).
• Mirja GUTHEIL, Quentin LIGER, Aurélie HEETMAN, James EAGER, Max CRAWFORD.: Legal Frameworks for Hacking by Law Enforcement: Identification, Evaluation and Comparison of Practices. Resumen: This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee, presents concrete policy proposals on the use of hacking techniques by law enforcement. These proposals are driven by a comparative examination of the legal frameworks for hacking by law enforcement across six EU Member States and three non-EU countries, in combination with analyses of the international and EU-level debates on the topic and the EU legal basis for intervention in the field., Optimity Advisors (Texto completo).
• Nikolai ATANASSOV.: Initiative citoyenne européenne. Resumen: L’initiative citoyenne européenne (ICE) a été lancée en 2009 avec l’adoption du traité de Lisbonne. C’est un élément essentiel de la démocratie participative, qui permet aux citoyens de jouer un rôle actif dans la vie démocratique de l’Union européenne en leur offrant la possibilité d’adresser leurs demandes de propositions législatives à la Commission. La procédure et les conditions à respecter pour les ICE sont régies par le règlement (UE) n° 211/2011, entré en vigueur en avril 2012. Ce règlement a fait l’objet d’une première révision triennale par la Commission en 2015, qui a donné lieu à un débat concernant l’efficacité de l’ICE et abouti à un certain nombre de suggestions d’amélioration (Texto completo).
• Marie Anne SCHERRER / Wouter VAN BALLEGOOI.: Combating sexual abuse of children Directive 2011/93/EU. Resumen: is European implementation assessment analyses the implementation of Directive 2011/93/EU on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography. This study, written in-house, focuses on the following areas: prevention, identification of victims, investigation and prosecution, and assistance and protection for victims. It begins with a contextualisation of the directive and presents the provisions of the EU legal framework. The assessment highlights a number of outstanding challenges, in particular in prevention of child sexual abuse, where research shows inadequate implementation of the directive. The assessment then examines the issue of identification of child victims and finds several shortcomings, including how victims’ disclosures are dealt with. The last section of the assessment focuses on the investigative and judicial proceedings phase, where necessary improvements in the application of child-friendly justice are underlined (Texto completo). 
• Vadim KONONENKO.: Respect for private life and protection of personal data in electronic communications. Resumen:  Overall the IA report makes a good presentation of the Commission’s impact assessment work for the legislative proposal. The IA draws on a vast amount of research and expertise in elaborating the policy options and linking them to the main problems. Also, the range of policy options appears comprehensive. However, a more thorough analysis of the social and fundamental rights impacts would have considerably strengthened the report. In particular, as confidentiality remains a sensitive issue in this field, the IA report could have gone into more depth on this issue, especially when comparing the options. In addition, more attention could have been dedicated to developing clearer monitoring and evaluation indicators (Texto completo).
• RADJENOVIC, Unja.: Resettlement of refugees: EU framework. Resumen: Resettlement is one tool to help displaced persons in need of protection reach Europe safely and legally, and receive protection for as long as necessary. It is a durable solution which includes selection and transfer of refugees from a country where they seek protection to another country. Apart from providing international protection to refugees, its aim is also to strengthen solidarity and responsibility-sharing between countries. For a resettlement to take place, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has to determine an applicant is a refugee according to the 1951 Geneva Convention, and has to identify resettlement as the most appropriate solution. On 13 July 2016, as part of the reform of the Common European Asylum System and the long-term policy on better migration management, the Commission presented a proposal which aims to provide for a permanent framework with standard common procedures for resettlement across the EU, and will complement current national and multilateral resettlement initiatives. Second edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure (Texto completo).
• What is Europe doing for its citizens? European Parliament Open Days 2017. Resumen: This compendium brings together a set of notes produced by the European Parliamentary Research Service on the occasion of the European Parliament’s 2017 Open Days. The European Union is constantly working to improve the lives of European citizens. More than 500 million people in the EU Member States see their work, study, leisure and family lives benefitting in many ways, large or small, from the policies and legislation of the European Union. The European Parliament makes an essential, and often decisive, contribution to shaping those laws and policies. Parliament’s 751 Members represent each and every European citizen, ensuring that decisions which affect them are taken not by unknown officials but by the democratically elected representatives of the citizens of all Member States. The notes presented in this brochure give just a sample of the many areas in which EU action has helped to improve – and continues to benefit – the lives of men and women, young and old across the European Union. The brochure is published to mark this year’s European Parliament Open Days, when, along with the other EU institutions, it opens its doors to citizens to let them see what it does and how it works (Texto completo).
• ¿Qué hace Europa para sus ciudadanos? (EN). Acción exterior de la Unión: migrantes y refugiados (Texto completo).
•  IVANOV, Detelin.: "Reform of the Qualification Directive". Resumen: The current refugee and migrant crisis in Europe has called into question existing EU legislation on asylum, in particular the criteria according to which applicants for international protection can qualify for refugee or subsidiary protection status, as recognised in the Qualification Directive. Although national asylum rules are more closely aligned than they were, major differences in approach persist across the EU. This can lead asylum-seekers to claim refuge in Member States whose asylum systems appear to be more generous, rather than in the Member State officially responsible for their asylum applications. The Commission’s proposal of 13 July 2016 proposes to replace the Qualification Directive with a regulation, setting uniform standards for the recognition of people in need of protection and for the rights granted to beneficiaries of international protection (Texto completo).
• ADORNA DIAZ, Daniela; MILT, Kristiina; PAPAGEORGIOU, Ioannis; RAFFAELLI, Rosa; SAOUDI, Sabrina and SY, Sarah Salome.: What has the European Union done in the field of migration since 2014?. Resumen: In response to the migration challenge, on 13 May 2015 the European Commission presented the European Agenda on Migration, with the aim of setting out a comprehensive approach for improving the management of migration in all its aspects. Several implementation packages under the Agenda have already been adopted and the measures therein are starting to be deployed; legislative proposals have also been made and are currently being discussed in Parliament and Council (Texto completo). 
• ADORNA DIAZ, Daniela; RAFFAELLI, Rosa; SAOUDI, Sabrina and SY, Sarah Salome.: European Parliament’s positions on key issues related to asylum and migration. Resumen: This briefing presents a short summary of the positions taken by the European Parliament on issues related to migration and asylum in its most recent relevant Resolutions. It has been prepared for the high-level conference on migration management which takes place on 21st June 2017 (Texto completo). 
• D’ALFONSO, Alessandro/ORAV, Anita.: Smart Borders: EU Entry/Exit System. Resumen: In anticipation of increased traveller flows and in response to security concerns regarding the control of EU external borders, on 6 April 2016, the Commission presented a revised proposal for establishing an Entry/Exit System for recording the border-crossings of all non-EU nationals. It builds on the Smart Borders package presented in 2013, which did not secure consensus among the co-legislators and was the subject of additional technical and operational studies completed in 2015. Under the new proposal, the current system of manual stamping of passports would be replaced by automation of certain preparatory border control procedures. The system would be interconnected with the Visa Information System (VIS) database and used by the same authorities: border control and consular posts. Moreover, it would allow law enforcement authorities to perform restricted queries in the database for criminal identification and intelligence to prevent serious crime and terrorism. Second edition. The ’EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure (Texto completo).
• ORAV, Anita.: World Refugee Day: Focus on migrant children. Resumen: In December 2000, in a resolution to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, the UN General Assembly designated 20 June as World Refugee Day. UN estimates place the global number of forcibly displaced persons at 65.3 million. Nearly 21.3 million of these persons are refugees, over half of them under the age of 18 (Texto completo).
• CESLUK-GRAJEWSKI, Marcin.: Start of Brexit negotiations [What Think Tanks are thinking]. Formal negotiations on the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union under Article 50 TEU got under way on 19 June, as both sides agreed in principle how to organise the talks and underlined their mutual goodwill. The talks began nearly a year after the UK referendum (on 23 June 2016) resulted in the vote to leave the EU, and less than two weeks after a general election that left the ruling Conservative Party without a majority in the House of Commons. This note offers links to recent commentaries and reports published by major international think tanks on the UK’s plans to leave the EU and the wider implications of Brexit (Texto completo).
• PRPIC, Martina.: Revision of the Blue Card Directive. Resumen: Attracting highly qualified immigrants to Europe has been one of the EU’s key priorities for several years. However, up until now the EU has not been as successful as other OECD countries. This demand for workers is expected to increase due to the increasing shortage of certain skills and the aging of the EU’s population. The proposed directive, which would replace the 2009 Blue Card Directive, increases the attractiveness of the EU highly skilled migration scheme by expanding its scope, lowering criteria for admission, expanding the rights of beneficiaries, and abolishing parallel national schemes. Stakeholders and experts agree with some proposed changes, while others have received more criticism (for example, the abolition of national schemes). Both EU advisory committees have issued opinions and some national parliaments have made comments on the proposal. The Council started work on the proposal in July 2016. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Please note this document has been designed for on-line viewing.(Texto completo). 
• IVANO, Detelin.: Reform of the Qualification Directive. Resumen: The current refugee and migrant crisis in Europe has called into question existing EU legislation on asylum, in particular the criteria according to which applicants for international protection can qualify for refugee or subsidiary protection status, as recognised in the Qualification Directive. Although national asylum rules are more closely aligned than they were, major differences in approach persist across the EU. This can lead asylum-seekers to claim refuge in Member States whose asylum systems appear to be more generous, rather than in the Member State officially responsible for their asylum applications. The Commission’s proposal of 13 July 2016 proposes to replace the Qualification Directive with a regulation, setting uniform standards for the recognition of people in need of protection and for the rights granted to beneficiaries of international protection. First edition The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Please note this document has been designed for on-line viewing.  (Texto completo).
• KATSAROVA, Ivana.: Creating opportunities: The EU and students. Resumen: Over one third of the European Union (EU) population – some 170 million citizens – are aged under 30, with half that number under the age of 15 years. Although education policies in the EU are essentially decided and implemented by the individual EU countries, the EU provides sound evidence and analysis to help national governments make informed policy decisions and drive reforms to improve educational outcomes and the employability of young people. For this purpose, in 2009, the EU set a series of common objectives to address the most pressing concerns in EU education systems by 2020. In several areas, the EU scores well. In 2015, 39 % of the EU workforce held a higher education degree. Between 2005 and 2015, the percentage of early school leavers decreased by some 30 %, even though during 2016, progress towards meeting the EU target slowed and currently stands at an average of 11 % – one percentage point away from achieving the target. However, the EU faces the major challenge of further upskilling its population and reducing under-achievement in basic skills. In specific terms, the results show that over 22 % of EU students have low achievement levels in mathematics, nearly 18 % in reading, and some 17 % in science. Moreover, by 2020, the EU aims for at least 15 % participation in learning among the population aged 25-64 years. Nevertheless, progress towards this target has been very limited. The EU average in adult learning stood at some 11 % in 2014 (the target was 15 %), and did not increase in 2015. Only urgent and substantive action will enable the EU to reach the benchmark. On a more optimistic note, the Erasmus student mobility programme that has allowed more than 9 million Europeans to study abroad, turns 30 in 2017. Widely recognised as one of the most successful EU programmes, Erasmus provides a concrete example of the positive impact of European integration (Texto completo).
• MAŃKO, Rafa.: Common minimum standards of civil proceedings. Resumen: Since 2015, Member States must accept most civil judgments from other EU countries without reviewing their content (abolition of exequatur). This has raised concerns about the need for ensuring that civil proceedings across the EU conform to common minimum standards. The European Parliament is due to vote in July on a report requesting the Commission table a proposal for a directive on such standards, which might be a first step towards a European Code of Civil Procedure (Texto completo).
• CESLUK-GRAJEWSKI, Marcin.: Migration into the EU [What Think Tanks are thinking. Resumen: At the European Council meeting of 23 June 2017, European Union Heads of State or Government agreed to strengthen efforts to reduce irregular migration flows on the central Mediterranean route, notably by speeding up training, equipping the Libyan coast guard and improving cooperation with countries of migration origin. However, the European Council made limited progress on reforming the Common European Asylum System, with the migration debate clouded by refusal of some central and eastern European countries to accept refugees under the existing quotas. This note offers links to recent commentaries and studies on migration from major international think-tanks and research institutes (Texto completo).
• RADJENOVIC, Unja.: Reception of asylum-seekers - recast Directive. Resumen: States must treat asylum-seekers and refugees according to the appropriate standards laid down in human rights and refugee law. The current migration crisis revealed wide divergences in the level of reception conditions provided by Member States. While some are facing problems in ensuring adequate and dignified treatment of applicants, in others the standards of reception provided are more generous. This has led to secondary movements of asylum-seekers and refugees, and has put pressure on certain Member States. The aim of the proposed recast directive, which would replace the current Reception Conditions Directive, is to ensure greater harmonisation of reception standards and more equal treatment of asylum-seekers across all Member States, as well as to avoid ’asylum shopping’ whereby asylum-seekers choose the Member State with the highest protection standards for their application. Third edition. The ’EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure (Texto completo).
• ZAMFIR, Ionel.: International Agreements in Progress: Economic Partnership Agreement with the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Resumen: In line with the objective of the Cotonou Agreement to establish a World Trade Organization-compatible trade regime with ACP countries, in 2002 the EU started negotiations on free trade agreements with different ACP regional configurations. One of these is the SADC EPA Group – of southern African countries, including South Africa. The negotiations were long but the final outcome is a compromise that has been accepted by all parties, with the exception of Angola which did not endorse the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), but has an option to join in the future. The Agreement establishes an asymmetric free trade area, taking into account the disparities in the level of development between the EU and its African partners, which can shield sensitive products from EU competition. It emphasises sustainable development as an overarching objective, includes important safeguards in order to protect sensitive sectors from sudden surges in trade, and gives African countries the possibility to preserve their policy space in order to industrialise. The Agreement was signed in June 2016 and entered into provisional application on 10 October 2016, after being ratified by five of the six African countries and the European Parliament. It is now in the process of ratification by EU national parliaments. Second edition. The ‘International Agreements in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the process, from initial discussions through to ratification. To view earlier editions of this briefing, please see: PE 586.661, 7 September 2016 (Texto completo). 
• ZAMFIR, Ionel.: Refugee policies in Africa: Open borders but limited integration. Resumen: As Europe struggles with the migration crisis, the EU is trying to develop a new relationship with African countries in order to try to curb the influx of people fleeing war, poverty or persecution, as well as to address the situation of refugees in Africa. Indeed, while some African countries are transit countries, Africa also hosts significant numbers of displaced people, many of whom qualify as refugees under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol or under the 1969 Organisation for African Unity Convention on Refugees. Nevertheless, while many African countries have ratified these international norms, in practice the protection provided is often inadequate. Most often, a policy of open borders allows refugees to cross freely into neighbouring countries, without however offering any long-term prospect for integration into host societies. There are exceptions to this approach, such as South Africa and Uganda, countries widely praised for their integrationist policies, but even there societal pressures are driving more restrictive policies. Many African countries lack any legal framework for granting asylum and in practice severely curtail the rights provided to refugees by the Geneva Convention. This implementation gap contributes to protracted refugee situations and is likely one of the main drivers of irregular migration to Europe. Refugees in Africa are confined to camps located in remote areas for long periods of time, with their freedom of movement severely restricted and without any access to formal employment. They have to rely on international humanitarian aid for their survival and when aid shrinks they are at risk of being sent back home, where they can face serious threats. In the context of the 2016 New York Declaration on Refugees, some African countries have pledged to take steps to improve the integration of their refugees (Texto completo).
• RADJENOVIC, Unja.: European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). Resumen: Following recent terrorist attacks and uncontrolled migration flows to the EU, strengthening the EU’s external borders has been one of the measures targeted to ensure internal security and to preserve freedom of movement in the Schengen area. While the existing border management information systems do address some of the information gaps concerning non-EU citizens coming into the EU, there is a lack of information related to visa-exempt third-country nationals arriving at the Schengen external borders. The European Commission is therefore proposing to set up an automated system that would gather information on visa-exempt travellers prior to their arrival, in order to determine any irregular migration, security or public-health risks associated with them. The proposal follows similar models already existing in the USA, Canada and Australia, among others. Second edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Please note this document has been designed for on-line viewing (Texto completo).
• RADJENOVIC, Unja.: Secondary movements of asylum-seekers in the EU asylum system. Resumen: Secondary movements occur when refugees or asylum-seekers move from the country in which they first arrived to seek protection or for permanent resettlement elsewhere. While most asylum-seekers seek protection in countries close to their countries of origin, some are compelled or choose to move (often in an irregular manner) onwards from or through countries in which they had, or could have sought, international protection, to other countries where they may request such protection. Many different factors may influence such movements and the decision to settle in a particular country. The objective of the current instruments of the Common European Asylum System is to limit secondary movements of applicants for international protection between EU Member States. However, the mass inflow of asylum-seekers to Europe in recent years has shown that the system has been unable to discourage such movements. For this purpose, among others, the European Commission proposed in 2016 a comprehensive harmonisation of asylum rules and a range of new measures on asylum policy (Texto completo).
• LATEK, Marta.: Reintegration of returning migrants. Resumen: Returning more and more migrants with irregular status to their countries of origin has become a key European Union aim in efforts to reduce illegal migration. Despite its high political priority, reiterated in European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s 2017 State of the Union address, the effective implementation of this objective is problematic, mainly due to resistance at the individual level, but also from the countries of origin. The 2016 partnership framework with third countries attempts to enhance cooperation with partner countries on readmission, using a wide range of positive and negative policy incentives. To make the return option more attractive for migrants with irregular status, the EU’s return policy promotes voluntary returns through reintegration assistance packages. No less than 90 specific assisted voluntary return and reintegration programmes (AVRR) have been established by EU Member States, co-financed by the European Union, and implemented mainly by the International Organization on Migration (IOM). Maximising sustainable returns, understood not only as absence of re emigration, but also as a returnee’s positive impact on the development of their communities of origin, is a key challenge. The nature of return chosen, and the success of economic and social integration of migrants in host countries, are the main factors of successful reintegration at the pre-departure stage, together with social and psychological counselling in preparing the reintegration project. Following arrival, training and in-kind assistance to start up a business, accompanied by measures to re-establish social networks, are what works best. Close cooperation with local partners is necessary to include reintegration assistance within existing development initiatives, to avoid duplication, resentment against returnees, and to respond to local needs (Texto completo).
• ORAV, Anita.: Smart borders: EU Entry/Exit System. Resumen: The Commission has envisaged integrated border management for several years, in response to increased traveller flows and the new security context. The Entry/Exit System proposed aims to set up a database where entry and exit information of third-country travellers is recorded. Following a political agreement with the Council, the Parliament is expected to vote on the texts in October (Texto completo).
• Outcome of European Council meeting of 19-20 October 2017 and the European Council (Article 50) meeting of 20 October 2017.
• NEJADMEHR, Rasoul.: Research for CULT Committee - EU funding for cultural work with refugees: current practice and lessons learned. Resumen: This study is an overview of publically funded cultural projects with refugees as target group. These projects are analysed in the light of two interconnected challenges in contemporary Europe, the challenge of good governance of cultural diversity and refugees’ aspiration to a good life in Europe. It asks the fundamental question of what it is to live a good life together in Europe today and how cultural interventions can contribute to this aspiration (Texto completo).
• PHIPPS, Alison.: Research for CULT Committee - Why cultural work with refugees. Resumen: cultural work with refugees has a long history. It is a contentious area. Instrumental approaches to cultural work with refugees raise significant issues. This briefing outlines the contentions, provides a theoretical basis for the work, gives leading examples of cultural work with refugees, including work that promotes intercultural understanding and work that promotes fear. It outlines key findings and recommendations, which have a substantial focus on ethical engagement, aesthetic importance and societal wellbeing. (Texto completo).
• LEWIS, Rosanna/MARTIN, Polly.: Research for CULT Committee - EU funding for cultural work with refugees: towards the next programme generation. Resumen: This briefing analyses the EU’s current programmes 2014-2020 that support cultural work with refugees in Europe and provides case studies of EU-funded projects in this field. It offers feedback from these projects, recommendations on the future programme generation, and suggests actions for the CULT Committee and its Members in order to inform and influence the future EU programme generation beyond 2020 (Texto completo).
• PICHON. Eric.: ACP-EU relations and the Joint Africa-EU strategy. Resumen: The Cotonou Agreement, a treaty binding the EU and 78 ACP countries, the majority of them from sub-Saharan Africa, is set to expire in 2020. Since its inception in 2000, major changes have occurred and new issues have emerged, requiring a broader approach. For the African states parties to the Cotonou Agreement, the Joint Africa-EU strategy could be an appropriate platform to reflect on their future relations with the EU. The Cotonou Agreement, a treaty binding the EU and 78 ACP countries, the majority of them from sub-Saharan Africa, is set to expire in 2020. Since its inception in 2000, major changes have occurred and new issues have emerged, requiring a broader approach. For the African states parties to the Cotonou Agreement, the Joint Africa-EU strategy could be an appropriate platform to reflect on their future relations with the EU.  (Texto completo).
• Nicoletta PIROZZI, Nicoló SARTORI, Bernardo VENTURI.: The Joint Africa-EU Strategy. Resumen: Implementation of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES) has taken place in a rapidly evolving political scenario at the global level and specifically within Europe and Africa. The overarching objectives identified in 2007 still remain valid, but concrete priorities now need to be adapted to the new reality. At the strategic level, a refinement of the Africa-EU partnership has become urgent following the adoption of Agenda 2063 and the EU Global Strategy. At policy level, lessons learned from the implementation of the Roadmap 2014-17 and the way ahead indicated in the Joint Communication of May 2017 should be taken into account. Ten years after its adoption and with a view to the next AU-EU Summit, being held in Abidjan on 29-30 November 2017, it is crucial to re-assess the strategy’s validity on the basis of achievements and shortfalls, also in its parliamentary dimension, with regard to the fulfilment of its objectives in an evolving context.  (Texto completo).
• Joanna APAP/Giulio SABBATI.: Recent migration flows to the EU. Resumen: This infographic aims to present the latest available data on migrant flows to the EU in the years 2016 and 2017. It covers the detection of illegal crossings on the EU’s external borders, numbers of deaths of migrants on those crossings, the number of asylum applications in EU Member States and their decisions on those applications. Previous editions of this Infographic were issued in September 2015 (PE 565.905), April 2016 (PE 580.893) and February 2017 (PE 595.918). (Texto completo). 
• Daniela ADORNA DIAZ/Joanna APAP/Gonzalo URBINA TREVIÑ.: A global compact on migration: Placing human rights at the heart of migration management. Resumen: The global flow of refugees and migrants poses challenges, opportunities and obligations for countries around the world. At the very heart of the debate on migration management is how to ensure that the different interests and needs are addressed within a strong human rights framework. The United Nations (UN) is investigating the issue in great depth, and one of the main outcomes of the UN General Assembly in 2016 was a declaration demanding greater international cooperation on managing migration. This declaration was widely endorsed, including by the European Union (EU). As a result, two global compacts are to be adopted in 2018, for refugees and for other migrants; this briefing will focus on the latter. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN migration agency in charge of the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration, these compacts ’provide the opportunity to move ahead in strengthening the norms, principles, rules and decision-making processes that will allow for more effective international cooperation in responding to what is a defining issue’. Providing continued institutional support to address these issues and implement the outcomes of the global compacts will be a challenge. See also our infographic, entitled ‘Migration flows to the EU’. (Texto completo). 
• Manuela SAMEK LODOVICI/Serena Marianna DRUFUCA, IRS/Nicola ORLANDO/Chiara Crepaldi/Flavia PESCE/Spyros KOULOCHERIS/Szilvia BORBÉLY.: Integration of refugees in Greece, Hungary and Italy: Comparative Analysis. Summary: This study presents a comparative overview of recent policy developments in Greece, Hungary and Italy, which present some similarities as regards their position in the migration routes, but also very different approaches. The focus of the analysis is on progress achieved in the last three years in the adaptation of the reception and integration system for the high numbers of new arrivals and on the main challenges encountered, with a focus on labour market integration measures. Further, special attention is given to changes in perceptions, public opinion and political discourse with respect to the asylum and integration of refugees and how this influenced policy strategies (Texto completo).
• David Eatock.: Demographic outlook in the European Union 2017. This paper presents the demographic outlook in the European Union (EU) in 2017. It shows that the EU population, having grown substantially, is now beginning to stagnate, before its expected decline from around the middle of the century. With the world population having risen still more substantially and growth continuing, the EU represents a shrinking proportion of the world population. The EU population is also ageing dramatically, as life expectancy increases and fertility rates are lower than in the past. This has serious implications across a range of areas including the economy, healthcare and pensions. Free movement within the EU and migration from third countries also plays an important role in shaping demography in individual Member States and regions. The ’in-focus’ section of this analysis looks at health and notes that the data, whilst inconsistent, suggests that people are not necessarily experiencing the extra life years without limitations to their usual activity (Texto completo).
• Seran DE LEEDE Renate/HAUPFLEISCH Katja/KOROLKOVA Monika/ NATTER With y Claudia CARVALHO (Case study Spain) Hadiya MASIEH (Case study United Kingdom).: Radicalisation and violent extremism–focus on women: How women become radicalised, and how to empower them to prevent radicalisation. Summary : This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, focuses on Islamist radicalisation and violent extremism in the EU and has two aims: 1) to explore and assess the question of women’s radicalisation and their involvement in violent extremism in the EU as well as to look into the mechanisms in place to prevent women and girls from radicalisation and propose further actions; and 2) to identify the potential of women in preventing radicalisation, in particular by looking into women’s current role in counter-radicalisation strategies and to explore potential gendered approaches and best practices to counter-radicalisation (Texto completo). 
• Susanne KRAATZ.: Integration of refugees in Greece, Hungary and Italy: Comparative Analysis. Resumen: This study presents a comparative overview of recent policy developments in Greece, Hungary and Italy, which present some similarities as regards their position in the migration routes, but also very different approaches. The focus of the analysis is on progress achieved in the last three years in the adaptation of the reception and integration system for the high numbers of new arrivals and on the main challenges encountered, with a focus on labour market integration measures. Further, special attention is given to changes in perceptions, public opinion and political discourse with respect to the asylum and integration of refugees and how this influenced policy strategies (Texto completo).  
• Susanne KRAATZ: Integration of refugees in Austria, Germany and Sweden: Comparative Analysis. Resumen: This note presents a comparative analysis of policies and practices to facilitate the labour market integration of beneficiaries of international protection in the main destination countries of asylum seekers in 2015/2016, namely Austria, Germany and Sweden. It focuses on the development of policy strategies to adapt the asylum and integration system to the high numbers of new arrivals. Special attention is given to the political discourse and public opinion on asylum and integration of refugees. Innovative approaches with respect to labour market integration are highlighted as well as gaps. Finally, the study includes lessons learned from recent policy developments as well as policy recommendations in order to improve labour market integration of asylum seekers and refugees. The study has been produced at request of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee (Texto completo). 
• Rosamund SHREEVES.: Zero tolerance for female genital mutilation. Resumen: The European Union is committed to working collectively to eradicate female genital mutilation (FGM) as part of broader efforts to combat all forms of violence against women and girls, and to support the efforts of its Member States in this field. The European Commission is again due to update MEPs on the progress made towards the objectives set out in its FGM action plan during the Parliament’s first plenary session in February. This publication is a further update of an ’at a glance’ note published in January 2015, PE 548.971. (Texto completo).
• Nikolai ATANASSOV/Costica DUMBRAVA/Maria-Margarita MENTZELOPOULOU/Anja RADJENOVIC.: EU asylum, borders and external cooperation on migration Recent developments. Resumen: This publication takes stock of recent EU developments in the area of asylum, borders and external cooperation on migration. It discusses key initiatives put forward by the EU in order to respond to migratory challenges, focusing on three major aspects: reforming the common European asylum system, strengthening the EU's external borders and reinforcing the EU's external cooperation on migration. (Texto completo).
• Joanna APAP/Eulalia CLAROS GIMENO/VANESSA DELPHINE VALERIE TYZO.: EU funds for migration, asylum and integration policies.. La migración y el asilo: Proyectos y financiación. Budgetary Affairs. Policy Department for Budgetary Affairs. Directorate General for Internal Policies of the Union. PE 603.828 - April 2018 (Texto completo).
• Migrant flows to the EU in the year 2017.

Más datos sobre bibliografia (monografias y artículos):

• Revistas: títulos y enlaces.
• Cuaderno de Bibliografia.