New EU Human Rights and Democracy Action Plan – What Changes Does it Bring?
The European Commission and the European External Action Service adopted on 28 April 2015 a new Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy for 2015-2019. It builds on the experience...
Saving Lives in the Mediterranean: One More Missed Opportunity
“The European Union cannot accept that thousands of people die at its borders”. These were the words of the President of the European Commission in Lampedusa, in October 2013. On...
Drowning refugees, migrants, and shame at sea: The EU response: Part II
In our previous post we highlighted how the Statement of the European Council in response to the crisis situation after the death of more than 750 people in the Mediterranean...
Drowning Refugees, Migrants, and Shame at Sea: The EU’s Response: Part I
At the special meeting of the European Council, on 23 April 2015, EU leaders agreed four priority areas of actions the Member States and the EU institutions can take together...
Europe and the Mediterranean
Thirty years ago we knew that there was a demographic and economic crisis on the horizon. We knew, because the International Labour Organization and the UN Fund for Population Activities...
The Emergence of Business and Human Rights in the EU’s External Relations
Globalization has provided for numerous opportunities for enterprises to contribute to the respect of human rights. At the same time, it also increases the risks of business involvement in human...
High Time for Europe to Offer Temporary Protection to Refugees from Syria?
Approximately 3 million people have fled Syria due to the armed conflict. About 96% of the refugees remain in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt. By July 2014, the number...
The Missing Human Rights Impact Assessment of European Union Free Trade Agreements
The European Union is pursuing a proactive policy to conclude free trade agreements with numerous countries around the world. The policy includes major trade partners of the EU such as...
Will Australia learn from the EU’s mistakes on data retention?
Police officers, anti-terrorism officials and politicians all tell us that we need data retention laws, especially in a time of increased technological sophistication. This week, George Brandis—the Attorney General for...
Europol and the Fight Against Human Trafficking
On Tuesday 24th June the Human Trafficking Discussion Group (under the umbrella of the Oxford Migration Studies Society) was delighted to host a talk by Sergio D’Orsi of Europol, speaking...
Migrants’ Voting at the Local Level is a Human Right
According to a recent study, only 15 of the 28 EU member states allow categories of resident migrants (‘third country nationals’) to participate in local elections. Four of these states...
What Has the European Union Ever Done for Women?
As the 2014 European elections are approaching this is an appropriate time to pause and reflect on what the European Union has ever done for women. The EU was established...
