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A forward-looking and comprehensive European immigration policy, based on solidarity, is a key objective for the European Union. Immigration policy is intended to establish a balanced approach to dealing with both regular and irregular immigration.

Cross-border parental child abductions in the EU are governed by The 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and (except for Denmark) the Brussels II-ter Regulation. Countries outside of the EU may or may not be Contracting States to ‘the Convention’, but will not be bound by Brussels II-ter. Research has found that the often negative, long-lasting impact of abduction may continue throughout the lifecycle of those who have been abducted. It may also affect future ...

The EU’s border management policy has needed to adapt to significant developments, such as the unprecedented arrival of refugees and irregular migrants, and since mid-2015, a series of shortcomings in EU policies on external borders and migration have come to light. The challenges linked to the increase in mixed migration flows into the EU, the COVID-19 pandemic and heightened security concerns have triggered a new period of activity in EU external border protection, which also has an impact on its ...

The founding principles of the European Union are liberty, democracy and respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law. The EU aims to build human rights concerns into all its policies and programmes. This fact sheet explains:— The legal framework that governs the EU’s human rights policy;— The tools and funds that the EU uses to support democracy and human rights in its relations with countries and organisations outside the EU.

The aim of the EU’s asylum policy is to grant appropriate status to any non-EU national requiring international protection in one of the Member States, while ensuring compliance with the principle of non-refoulement[1]. To this end, the EU is striving to develop a Common European Asylum System.

Respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights is a core value of the European Union (EU), and one that is promoted through its policies. The European Parliament's Sakharov Prize honours the work of people who stand up for these freedoms and rights. This year's Sakharov Prize is to be awarded to journalists Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli, both jailed for defending freedom of expression and democracy in their respective countries, Belarus and Georgia. The award ceremony will take place during ...

The fight against impunity remains a key challenge for the international community, as efforts to hold perpetrators of serious international crimes accountable are increasingly strained by geopolitical rivalries, fragmented enforcement and weak political will. This paper examines three accountability mechanisms – international criminal tribunals, universal jurisdiction and transitional justice – through comparative analysis and case studies. International criminal tribunals, from ad hoc tribunals ...

This briefing considers the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2025 concluding observations to the European Union. The briefing assesses their relevance to the issues raised in petitions submitted to the European Parliament.

On 21 October 2025, the European Commission under Ursula von der Leyen's second mandate adopted its work programme for 2026 (2026 CWP). In line with the Commission President's political guidelines and letter of intent and highlighting the need for full implementation of Mario Draghi's competitiveness report, the 2026 CWP places a strong emphasis on competitiveness, innovation and collective security. In parallel, the Commission commits to advancing simplification, implementation, and this year, also ...