Estonia

The relocation scheme established by Council Decisions 2015/1523 and 2015/1601 (“Relocation Decisions”) to assist Italy and Greece over a two-year period from September 2015 has sparked heated debates at the EU level. Even though the Relocation Decisions formally expired on 26 September 2017, their effects continue to live on in the ongoing processing of pending relocation cases. At the same time, the relocation of asylum seekers has been at the heart of animated discussions on the reform of the Dublin system and sharing of protection responsibility between EU Member States.

DEVELOPMENTS

COUNTRIES OF FIRST ARRIVAL

Push for transfers at any cost – the Dublin system in 2017

The 2017 Dublin Update, published by the Asylum Information Database, releases figures for 18 European countries revealing an increase in transfers in the aftermath of European Union and domestic political commitments for a stricter enforcement of the Dublin system.

Baghdad, 5 April: The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) welcomes an additional contribution from the Republic of Estonia in support of mine action activities in Iraq. The Republic of Estonia has prioritized mine action, including clearance of explosives in areas liberated from ISIL, as essential activities before the rehabilitation and reconstruction work can be carried out and civilians can start to return home safely.

Baghdad, 5 April: The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) welcomes an additional contribution from the Republic of Estonia in support of mine action activities in Iraq. The Republic of Estonia has prioritized mine action, including clearance of explosives in areas liberated from ISIL, as essential activities before the rehabilitation and reconstruction work can be carried out and civilians can start to return home safely.

27 MARS 2018 | GENÈVE - Les donateurs se sont engagés à verser 15,3 millions de dollars (US $) supplémentaires pour aider l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé à intervenir rapidement, en 2018, pour combattre les flambées épidémiques et les crises sanitaires humanitaires au moyen de son fonds de riposte d’urgence, le Fonds de réserve OMS pour les situations d’urgence (CFE).

Beirut, Lebanon, 28 March 2018 – at today’s meeting with General Michel Aoun, President of Lebanon, and Saad Hariri, head of the Lebanese government, Prime Minister Jüri Ratas confirmed that Estonia will continue to support the Syrian refugees living in Lebanon.

GENEVA - 27 March 2018 – Donors have pledged an additional US$15.3 million to support quick action by the World Health Organization to tackle disease outbreaks and humanitarian health crises through its emergency response fund in 2018, the Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE).

Overview

During 2017, almost 38,900 refugees were submitted by UNHCR for resettlement1 to 25 countries in Europe,2 36% more than during 2016 and over three times greater than the average rate of 12,400 submissions per year during the last decade.
Between 2007 and 2016, Europe’s proportion of resettlement sub-missions globally has increased from approximately 9% to more than 18%, and in 2017 reached 52%. This is primarily due to a significant decrease globally in new submissions for resettlement, most notably to the United States of America.

33,154 Total persons relocated

21,710 Relocated from Greece (33% of 66,400 originally foreseen)

11,444 Relocated from Italy (29% of 39,600 originally foreseen)

TRENDS AND KEY FIGURES

• 186,768 TOTAL ARRIVALS TO EUROPE
  
• 172,362 TOTAL ARRIVALS TO EUROPE BY SEA
  
• 14,406 TOTAL ARRIVALS TO EUROPE BY LAND
  

Highlights

The research paper ‘Follow the Money: Assessing the use of AMIF funding at the national level’ by ECRE and UNHCR, provides a thorough and critical analysis of the €3.1 billion Asylum, Migration & Integration Fund (AMIF) established by the EC for the period of 2014-20. The AMIF aims to contribute to the efficient management of migration flows and to the implementation and development of a common European approach to asylum and migration.

• 176,042 Total arrivals to Europe

• 164,754 Total arrivals to Europe by sea

• 11,288 Total arrivals to Europe by land

Highlights

TRENDS AND KEY FIGURES

Between 1 January 2017 and 30 November 2017, 171,300 refugees and migrants arrived by sea and land to Europe (Greece, Italy, Spain and Cyprus only, including arrivals to the Canary Islands and by land to Spain). While sea arrivals to Europe in November were 51% lower than last year, largely due to fewer people crossing from Libya, higher numbers crossed from Libya in November than in October while Spain recorded the highest number of land and sea arrivals this year.

• 160,247 Total arrivals to Europe

• 150,895 Total arrivals to Europe by sea

• 9,352 Total arrivals to Europe by land

Highlights

TRENDS AND KEY FIGURES

The European Emergency Response Capacity is commonly referred to as the "voluntary pool". It consists of a range of emergency response capacities that countries participating in the EU Civil Protection Mechanism make available for EU emergency response operations.