The number of international migrants worldwide has continued to grow rapidly in recent years, reaching 258 million in 2017, up from 220 million in 2010 and 173 million in 2000.

Refugee movements and migration are at the centre of global attention. In recent years, Europe has had to respond to the most severe migratory challenge since the end of the Second World War. The unprecedented arrival of refugees and irregular migrants in the EU, which peaked in 2015, exposed a series of deficiencies and gaps in EU policies on asylum, external borders and migration.

Migration (2020)

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 right to asylum is a fundamental right and recognising the refugee status where the criteria are fulfilled is an international obligation.

In the EU, an area of open borders and freedom of movement, Member States need to have a joint approach to guarantee high standards to persons in need of international protection through establishment of a Common European Asylum System based on fundamental rights.

The European Parliament always strongly promoted a Common European Asylum System in accordance with the Union’s legal commitments. The Parliament worked as well as for the reduction of illegal migration as well as for the protection of vulnerable groups.

See more on this topic by visiting our <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/asylum-8th-parliamentary-term_3202_pk">package</a> for the 8th parliamentary term.

Asylum (2019-2020)

Third High-Level Interparliamentary Conference on Migration and Asylum

Press conference on the draft report on Crisis and force majeure in the field of migration and asylum

Press conference LIBE committee delegation to Hungary

Trilogue on Asylum and Migration Fund

Refugees and asylum seekers welcome center in Liege

Plenary session week 37 2016 in Strasbourg  Report of Franziska KELLER: ' Asylum : Provisional measures in favour of Italy and Greece '.

Seminar ' Migration and asylum : a challenge for Europe '

FERNANDES, Jos?© Manuel (EPP, PT); Marco ZATTERIN

SAR by Portuguese Viana do Castelo, Operation Poseidon 2015

SAR by Belgian vessel Godetia, Operation Triton

SAR, Operation Triton 2015

This stockshot shows refugees arriving in the Port of Lampedusa in Italy and being transferred to the hotspot on the island to be registered and given food and shelter. Scopes : Non-commercial use, Information and education only

Migration routes – Lampedusa, Italy /

A LIBE delegation (Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) is on a mission on search and rescue in Lampedusa (Sicily - Italy). Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (S&D, ES), Chair of the LIBE delegation, holds a press point. The transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please, check against delivery.

Press conference by Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (S&D, ES), Chair of the LIBE delegation to Sicily (Lampedusa), Mission on Search And Rescue

A delegation of the Civil Liberties Committee, led by the Chair Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar (S&D, Spain, Head of the Delegation, as well as Pietro Bartolo (S&D, Italy), Sylvie Guillaume (S&D, France), Nadine Morano (EPP, France), Cornelia Ernst (The Left, Germany), Yana Toom (Renew, Estonia), Laura Ferrara (non-attached, Italy), Karlo Ressler (EPP, Croatia), Alessandra Mussolini (EPP, Italy), Giuseppe Milazzo (ECR, Italy) and Annalisa Tardino (ID, Italy) is visiting Lampedusa (Italy) from 19 to 22 June. The delegation meets with state representatives and later meets with NGOs.

LIBE delegation to Sicily (Lampedusa), Mission on Search And Rescue: meeting with NGOs and state representatives

According to the report member states should provide resettled persons with a long-lasting solution, first and foremost by granting refugee or subsidiary protection status. Member States may issue permanent residence permits. The report also calls on Member States to increase resettlement efforts and the number of resettlement places in order to shoulder a fair share of global responsibility. The EU should take on at least 20% of the annual projected global resettlement needs, as defined by UNHCR, which would equate to around 250 000 people in 2017. Furthermore, resettlement should not be used for other foreign policy objectives, or depend on third countries' cooperation on other migration-related matters, as proposed by the European Commission. Instead, resettlement should be a humanitarian programme and the EU resettlement framework should be based on the annual global projected

Final trilogue on EU Resettlement Framework: arrivals, roundtable and statement by Malin BJÖRK (The Left, SE), Rapporteur

A delegation from the Civil Liberties Committee concluded on Friday a visit to Hungary in which they met with the Government, the opposition, journalists and NGOs. The aim of the trip was to assess the respect for press and academic freedom, judicial independence, the rights of minorities and the wider rule of law context on the ground. The delegation exchanged views with the Justice and Interior ministers, Budapest’s Mayor and representatives of the political opposition. They also met civil society organisations, journalists, the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, representatives of academia and the education system, and of several cultural institutions. The delegation was headed by Gwendoline DELBOS-CORFIELD (Greens/EFA, FR). Video of the entire press conference released by Gwendoline DELBOS-CORFIELD (Greens/EFA, FR).

EP Press conference EP LIBE delegation to Hungary, Budapest

This Infoclip illustrates European fundamental rights (freedom of press and media, independence of justice, reception of migrants) and European democracy (European elections, MEPs voting in plenary sessions, the Conference on the Future of Europe).

Infoclip: European democracy

Arrivals and roundtable of the Trilogue on the Asylum and Migration Fund, in the European Parliament in Brussels. Statements by Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), rapporteur, Beate GMINDER, on behalf of the European Commission, and Jens SCHUMACHER, on behalf of the German Presidency.

Trilogue on Asylum and Migration Fund: arrivals, roundtable and statements by Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), rapporteur and by Council and Commission representatives

This infoclip shows footage from the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) supporting operation in Lesbos, Greece, and Lesbos refugee camp where 4929 were living at the time this footage was taken (8 February 2019)

Infoclip: European Asylum Support Office supporting operation in Lesbos and Lesbos refugee camp

Live Replay of the votes on 13/03 during the plenary session in Strasbourg (11-14 March 2019): EU-Afghanistan Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development - report Anna Elżbieta FOTYGA (ECR,PL), Scope and mandate for EU Special Representatives - report Hilde VAUTMANS (ALDE,BE), Accessibility requirements for products and services - report Morten LØKKEGAARD (ALDE,DK), Visa Information System - report Carlos COELHO (EPP,PT), Asylum and Migration Fund - report Miriam DALLI (S&D,MT), Instrument for financial support for border management and visa - report Tanja FAJON (S&D,SI), Internal Security Fund - report Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP,DE), Definition, presentation and labelling of spirit drinks and protection of geographical indications thereof - report Pilar AYUSO (EPP,ES), Proposed amendments to Protocol No 3 on the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union - report Tiemo WÖLKEN (S&D,DE)

Votes (12:12 - 12:46)

In the European Parliament in Brussels, EP Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) votes on the draft reports Establishing the Internal Security Fund, the Asylum and Migration Fund as well as, part of the Integrated Border Management Fund, the instrument for financial support for border management and visa. Extracts from the vote. Statement by Miriam DALLI (S&D, MT), rapporteur and illustrative shots of training courses for migrant and refugees.

Establishing the Asylum and Migration Fund: extracts from the vote and statement by Miriam DALLI (S&D, MT), rapporteur - illustrative shots

Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, speaks to the press about on Migration (Asylum and Migration Fund), Border Management (Integrated Border Management Fund), during the plenary session (11-14 June 2018) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Read-out of the College meeting and press conference by Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS on Migration (Asylum and Migration Fund), Border Management (Integrated Border Management Fund)

Memoclip on the EP role on migration. Extracts from the vote on the situation in the Mediterranean and the need for a holistic EU approach to migration. (Plenary session Strasbourg 17/12/2014). Debate on the latest tragedies in the Mediterranean and EU migration and asylum policies (Report of the extraordinary European Council (23 April 2015). Extracts from the&nbsp;debate on the latest tragedies in the Mediterranean and EU migration and asylum policies (Plenary session Strasbourg 29/04/2015). Extracts of the votes on the latest tragedies in the Mediterranean and EU migration and asylum policies. Extracts from the vote of resolution on EU migration and asylum policies. Extracts from the vote on Member States responsible for examining the application for international protection of unaccompanied minors&nbsp; (Brussels 06/05/2015).

Memoclip: Migration - The role of the EP

During the meeting of the Commitee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Melchior WATHELET, State Secretary for the Budget, Migration and Asylum Policy, Family Policy and Federal Cultural Institutions, makes a statement on Migration and Asylum Policy, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Migration and Asylum Policy: statement by Melchior WATHELET, State Secretary for the Budget, Migration and Asylum Policy, Family Policy and Federal Cultural Institutions

13 results