E.g., 04/16/2024
E.g., 04/16/2024
Moving Europe Beyond Crisis

Moving Europe Beyond Crisis

Europe faced its worst refugee crisis since the Second World War, with more than 1 million people applying for asylum in 2015 and 2016. As the systems that were designed to manage these flows were under intense pressure—not least the Common European Asylum System (CEAS)—the international community needs new ideas to manage mixed flows and create sustainable long-term solutions for refugees. To address these knowledge gaps, MPI Europe has invested in a series of research and data reports, commentaries, data tools, and multimedia primers to shed light on ongoing policy debates and offer innovative solutions, collected on this page.

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Featured

As maritime arrivals climbed in 2015, EU policymakers struggled to mount a coordinated response. A range of ad hoc crisis-response tools emerged, but many officials worry that if another migration emergency were to hit Europe, the European Union may still be unprepared. This report traces the evolution of the EU response to the 2015–16 crisis and lays out recommendations to lock in progress and shore up weaknesses.

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Featured

Many of the structural issues that resulted in European asylum systems being stretched to the breaking point in 2015-16 remain unresolved. This report critically evaluates the legal and operational shortcomings of the Common European Asylum System at a time when reform is on the table.

Recent Activity

UNHCR 15817431431 Ad'Amato Eritreans
Commentaries
March 2015
The Potential and Pitfalls of Extraterritorial Processing of Asylum Claims
By  Madeline Garlick
coverthumb MPIE Asylum Mechanics Brief
Policy Briefs
March 2015
The Development of EU Policy on Immigration and Asylum: Rethinking Coordination and Leadership
By  Elizabeth Collett
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Reports
March 2015
Not Adding Up: The Fading Promise of Europe's Dublin System
By  Susan Fratzke
asylum brief cover
Policy Briefs
June 2014
Strengthening Refugee Protection and Meeting Challenges: The European Union’s Next Steps on Asylum
By  Madeline Garlick
Future EU policy development on immigration and asylum
Policy Briefs
June 2014
Future EU Policy Development on Immigration and Asylum: Understanding the Challenge
By  Elizabeth Collett
cover facing2020
Policy Briefs
February 2013
Facing 2020: Developing a New European Agenda for Immigration and Asylum Policy
By  Elizabeth Collett

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Recent Activity

Commentaries
March 2015

The Potential and Pitfalls of Extraterritorial Processing of Asylum Claims

Much attention has focused recently on the possibility of the European Union establishing processing centers in North Africa or elsewhere to manage asylum seekers and migrants traveling to Europe, despite the fact no policy proposal is formally on the table. This commentary examines the opportunities and drawbacks of extraterritorial processing, and suggests the need for a well-informed discussion.

Policy Briefs
March 2015

The Development of EU Policy on Immigration and Asylum: Rethinking Coordination and Leadership

Despite the European Union's high expectations for effectively resolving migration-related challenges, it has become clear that the policy-making structure in place today does little to support this goal. This policy brief addresses the underlying mechanisms of policy development around migration and asylum and identifies areas where reform to EU institutions is needed.

Reports
March 2015

Not Adding Up: The Fading Promise of Europe's Dublin System

The European Union's Dublin Regulation, the mechanism to assign responsibility to Member States for processing individual asylum claims, has been the subject of intense political debate since its inception. This report examines the key criticisms of the Dublin system on asylum, evaluates the potential of the recently adopted recast, and recommends topics for consideration during the scheduled 2016 review of the system.

Policy Briefs
June 2014

Strengthening Refugee Protection and Meeting Challenges: The European Union’s Next Steps on Asylum

With the European Council meeting in late June 2014 to adopt strategic guidelines on asylum and migration policy, amid strains resulting from Syrian refugee migration and other flows, this MPI Europe policy brief identifies challenges and proposes a forward course. The brief recommends increased engagement by Member States in practical cooperation as a way to strengthen implementation and consolidation of existing EU laws and achieve more consistent asylum decision-making.

Policy Briefs
June 2014

Future EU Policy Development on Immigration and Asylum: Understanding the Challenge

This MPI Europe policy brief, published with the European Council poised to articulate a new set of long-term objectives and priorities for action on migration and asylum policy, details the immigration and other challenges that policymakers confront and sets out the reasons for increasingly sclerotic policy development.

Policy Briefs
February 2013

Facing 2020: Developing a New European Agenda for Immigration and Asylum Policy

As the European Commission looks ahead to the next strategic program for immigration in 2014, this policy brief sketches the challenges in developing a strategic, long-term agenda on migration at a time when Europe remains beset by fiscal uncertainty and a jobs crisis that is particularly acute for the young. Against such a backdrop, few governments are willing to have a serious conversation about anything but skilled immigration.

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