Externalisation of EU Migration Policy


The European Commission's Common Asylum System has been adopted. It is to be implemented in the coming months. It is clear that there are three aspects that need to be monitored critically: the establishment of (closed) reception centres at the external borders, (chain) deportations and (alleged) monitoring of human rights compliance in the new procedures. To date, there have been numerous warnings that the CEAS can only be implemented with massive violations of human rights, but no statements as to what monitoring should look like, how it can be guaranteed that human rights violations are avoided and, in the event of a breach of the law, that penalties are imposed.
So what is happening at the EU's external borders? How does externalised border control work? Picture: piqcels.com

  • The first tour - the failure of Italy's externalisation policy in Albania - 24.10.2024 (only in German, English will follow soon)
    The Italian government has made it happen and brought the first 16 people to Albania. A highly symbolic move by the Meloni government that has been heavily criticised. After four people - two minors and two people with special needs - who should not have been brought to Albania in the first place had to be returned to Italy by the Italian coast guard, the detention was not extended for the remaining 12 people either. The Meloni government's expensive and politically controversial plan raises many questions, including its legality and effectiveness.
     
  • Freedom of movement from Lebanon instead of criminalisation of migration - 30.09.2024In her article, Pilchowski reports on the criminalisation of fleeing across the Mediterranean. Finding legal options to leave the country is almost impossible. Arrests of boat drivers and human rights activists are on the rise, and the current war situation in Lebanon caused by Israel's attacks is also making the already precarious situation of refugees and Lebanese people much more difficult.
     
  • Lebanon as another gatekeeper for the terrified EU? - 20.05.24
    In addition to Libya and Tunisia, the main points of departure to Italy, this year we have taken up the topic of Lebanon, as there are always refugees crossing the Mediterranean from there. So we asked Anja Pilchowski and her colleague Ahmad Ibrahim what the situation is like on the ground. In their article ‘Lebanon, another gatekeeper for the frightened EU?’, they describe the extent to which EU policy is involved.

Current projects

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The Mediterranean: monitoring, research, identification

borderline-europe is involved in two very different MONITORING projects:

  • "Invisible" is about the situation of refugees in Sicily.
  • In ‘Detention, illegalisation and the so-called CEAS reform in southern Italy’, the focus is on the implementation of the European Pact on Migration at the EU's external border. The project started in September 2024.
  • Mem.Med is a cooperation project between many entities that carefully focus on the people who have not made it through the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea. borderline-europe supports the project through volunteers.
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Situation of refugees and migrants in Italy

Here you can find our bi-weekly Update on the situation in Italy "Scirocco - News in Brief" and further information on the situation of refugees and migrants in Italy.

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Central Mediterranean Info

borderline-europe started in March 2019 to put together information about the situation in the Central Mediterranean Sea for internal research reasons. In 2021 we decided to publish parts of the data via Social Media and on our website.

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Criminalization of Migration & Solidarity in Italy

In the course of the collective attempt to shut down its borders, the EU uses numerous means of deterrence to prevent people from seeking safety in Europe. The criminalisation of people on the move and those who are in solidarity with them has been a widespread strategy for years. In Italy, too, people are prosecuted under the charge of "aiding and abetting unauthorised entry".

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Externalisation of EU Migration Policy

Modern border control no longer takes place at the barrier. Externalisation of the EU's external borders means outsourcing control via pushbacks, pullbacks and visa refusals, and is always associated with the use of force and a lot of money for the respective governments.In future, even asylum applications will be processed in closed centres. Here are our articles on restrictions on freedom of movement and border fortifications.

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Between the Millstones: the Situation of Migrant and Refugee Women in Egypt

This report highlights the challenges faced by refugee and migrant women in Egypt. These include discrimination, threats, assault and the lack of resources to enable them to live safely. The research is based on news monitoring of the violations faced by refugee women, as well as documentation and testimonies from migrant women belonging to ethnic minorities in Egypt, activists and lawyers, and journalists reporting on the situation of these people in Egypt.

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