Newsletter - September 2021
Visit to Belgrade, Brussels and conference on statelessness
From 14-15 September 2021, the Special Representative on Migration and Refugees, Drahoslav Štefánek, was invited to Belgrade for two migration-related meetings: a briefing session on the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees (EQPR) and the “Regional Conference on Alternatives to...
Recent migration-related court judgments and decisions
On 8 September 2021, the European Court of Human Rights decided to indicate an interim measure in the case of Sadeed and Others v. Lithuania (application no. 44205/21) concerning five Afghan nationals who have been attempting to enter Lithuania from Belarus and now assert that they are in hiding...
Greece's Parliament should align the deportations and return bill with human rights standards
On 03 September 2021, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović published a statement saying: “The Greek parliament should reconsider a legislative proposal currently being discussed, which would seriously hinder the life-saving work carried out at sea by NGOs, and...
CPT published reports on Sweden and Kosovo* and response of the Finnish authorities
On 09 September 2021, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), published its report on the January 2021 visit to Sweden. The delegation visited, for the first time, two closed migration detention centres run by the...
PACE autumn session and a warm welcome for “Little Amal”
From 27 to 30 September 2021, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), held its autumn Session, during which PACE told Belarus to ‘stop the instrumentalisation’ of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, in particular those in a vulnerable situation, at its borders. The Assembly...
Qualifications of Afghan refugees and webinar on implementation of the Lisbon Recognition Convention
On 29 September 2021, a webinar moderated by Katia Dolgova-Dreyer, the Council of Europe co-Secretary of the Lisbon Recognition Convention Committee and the ENIC Network, took place and gathered over 70 credential evaluators from the ENIC and NARIC centres. On the basis of presentations by the...
Council of Europe Committee examines rights of children in migration
On 16-17 September 2021, the Steering Committee on the Rights of the Child (CDENF) held an online plenary session dedicated to the protection of the rights of children in migration. During the session the Committee examined a Draft Recommendation relating to Human Rights Principles and Guidelines...
The CDCJ implements the Council of Europe’s pledge under the Global Action Plan to End Statelessness
On 23-24 September 2021, the Council of Europe’s European Committee on Legal Co-operation (CDCJ) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency organised a technical meeting followed by an international conference to strengthen efforts to end statelessness in Europe and guarantee the provision of fundamental...
newsletter summary
- The Special Representative has launched a number of concrete actions in support of the people fleeing Ukraine
- Administrative detention of an under-age child let to a twofold violation of the Convention
- More coordinated efforts needed to meet the humanitarian needs and protect the human rights of people fleeing the war in Ukraine
- Human trafficking experts: States must urgently protect refugees fleeing Ukraine
- New General Policy Recommendation, conclusions on Netherlands, and statement on the consequences of the Russian aggression against Ukraine
- PACE Committee appointed new rapporteurs and adopted a declaration on the situation in Ukraine
- Urgent need to protect Ukrainian children in migration from the risk of exposure to sexual abuse
- Statement on the educational consequences of Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine
- Committee of Experts on Intercultural Integration of Migrants