News Highlights: EU’s ‘no more roads’ approach in Eritrea, Amnesty publishes report on cycle of abuse in Libya, New European migration pact introduced

In this week’s news highlights: Human rights organization revokes lawsuit against EU for road-building in Eritrea, after EU announces ‘no more roads’ approach; 5 Sudanese artists convicted; Missing prisoners in Eritrea memorialized digitally; Review of book series on mobility and human trafficking by Dan Connell; EU imposes sanctions for human rights violations in Libya; Amnesty calls for the EU to reconsider collaboration with Libya; Rescue ship rescues 133 migrants and refugees, 128 others returned to Libya; New EU migration pact introduced; Italian authorities restrains Sea-Watch 4 ship; Italy makes deal with Tunisia to return 500-600 people monthly; UK Home Office lifts ban on evicting asylum seekers that have been denied status; Protests in Germany to receive more migrants; Intolerance of migrants increases.

European solidarity creeps forward in relocation of unaccompanied children from Greek Islands

At the beginning of March, European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen spoke with the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the situation of unaccompanied migrant children on the Greek islands. They agreed to put in place a process to ensure the protection and care of some of Europe’s most vulnerable people, unaccompanied migrant children. Later in March, the Commission announced a plan to  relocate unaccompanied children and teenagers from Greece to other EU member states. So far, member states have pledged 1.600 places, but the going has been slow. Several relocations took place and key recommendations were established for further relocations.

EU Dublin Regulation assessment shows continued shortcomings

In February 2020, the most recent European Implementation Assessment titled “Dublin Regulation on international protection applications study” revealed many weaknesses in the current Dublin Regulation. The study, established by the European Parliamentary Research Services (EPRS) together with the research team of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), shows that the original aim of the Dublin Regulation is not being achieved. Moreover, it appears that the costs of its implementations are significant given that its objectives are not being met. The Dublin Regulation, among other things, determines which EU member state is responsible for the assessment of an asylum claim. The assessment of the Dublin Regulation accompanies the implementation report on the Dublin Regulation of November 2019 that was published by the European Parliament.