Migration News Sheet Summary March 2010

Issued on 15/03/2010

Summary

Every month the Migration Policy Group produces the Migration News Sheet, an information bulletin on immigration, refugees and ethnic minorities with updates on migration law and

policies, news on irregular migration, asylum, racism and discrimination at the EU and across countries in Europe.

The Migration News Sheet is available by subscription only

Description

Below is a small selection of the articles available in the March 2010 issue.

Information on the full hard-copy subscription is available here. To subscribe, click here to complete the subscription form. To sign up to free summary email updates, click here.

MNS Summary March 2010

Migration Policies/Law

EU: Libya places entry ban on nationals of all Schengen countries after Bern blacklists a number of Libyans – Malta and Italy call on Bern to back down

ECJ: Child in education in a Member State coming under EU law enables foreign parent to stay even if not working and without resources

ECJ: A Turkish national employed for only 5.5 hours per week is a “worker” within the meaning of the EEC-Turkey Association Agreement

ITALY: Italy also wants to adopt a points system for right of residence

UK: Tougher conditions for student visas to combat abuse

UK: Another British judge criticises immigration policy in the UK

UK: Local councils attack the myth of large-scale return migration of East Europeans

Irregular Migration

EU: Rome warns that dispute between Bern and Tripoli could jeopardise fight against clandestine migration

EU: Malta and Italy strongly object to new FRONTEX guidelines

FRANCE: Labour inspector in France claims that proposed new measures to combat unauthorised labour will have little effect

ITALY: Italy wants bilateral agreements with African countries to combat irregular migration

ITALY: Minister claims to have proof of mafia involvement in irregular migration

NETHERLANDS: Farmer faced with a fine of 283,000 Euros for employing foreigners without a valid work permit

SPAIN: Police unions denounce secret orders issued by Ministry of Interior to hold irregular migrants in preventive custody

Asylum/Refugees

BELGIUM: Influx of asylum-seekers from Serbia and Macedonia after suppression of entry visa requirement for Schengen Area

FRANCE: Sangatte II in Calais, France, lasted only a few days

GERMANY: NGO intends to challenge low amounts of benefits granted to asylum-seekers following Constitutional ruling that allowances granted to the destitute were too harsh

SPAIN: Ex-Guantanamo prisoners accepted by Spain will be granted work and residence permits

SWEDEN: Recognition that security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated

SWEDEN: Project to encourage refugees to move to municipalities with more job opportunities and better housing appears to have failed

SWITZERLAND: Swiss authorities accused of hasty expulsion of two Dublin cases

UK: Staff member at asylum-processing department denounces anti-refugee attitude reigning there

Racism/Discrimination

FRANCE: No need for new law to gather statistics on ethnic origin as a means of combating discrimination

GERMANY: Job applicants of Turkish origin are discriminated, but not as bad as certain immigrant groups in other countries

ITALY: Study concludes that almost one out of two young Italians is intolerant

ITALY: Bishops claim that violence between African migrants and local people in Rosarno had nothing to do with racism

SWEDEN: Complaint by a Muslim man who refused to shake hands with a woman is upheld

Other Issues

DENMARK: Mohammed cartoons: Liberal daily under heavy criticism for allegedly apologising for printing them

FRANCE: Proposal to require new French citizens to take an oath of allegiance

FRANCE: Politicians of the left and right join the far-right in criticising a fast-food chain for serving only Halal food in eight of its restaurants

GERMANY: Leaders of Turkish community urge Chancellor MERKEL to play a more active role in integration

GERMANY: Denied German citizenship for being too left-wing?

NETHERLANDS: Divorce by electronic means of communication in the Netherlands

SPAIN: Extremely high rate of mortality among foreigners serving in the Spanish Army in conflict areas

UK: Government fails in attempt to prevent publication of a document proving knowledge of torture

UK: Sikh judge wants children to be allowed to wear their ceremonial daggers to school

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