The European Asylum and Protection System
Europe’s asylum system rests on the Geneva Convention and common EU rules, but practice varies from country to country. While applications are falling, the backlog of pending cases remains high.
Author
Orhan Turan
36 articles · Writing for PUGAT 2021–2026 · 6 series
Articles · page 2
National Migration Authorities
Knowing which institution takes the decisions is half the battle in the migration process. BAMF and the foreigners’ authorities in Germany, the IND, COA and municipalities in the Netherlands, the Presidency of Migration Management in Turkey: who is responsible for what?
The Institutions Shaping Migration Policy
Migration policy is not set by national governments alone. A network of institutions, from UNHCR and IOM to the EU institutions, Frontex and the EUAA, shapes the rules a migrant will face.
Migration Law in Germany and the Netherlands
For a long time Germany did not define itself as a country of immigration, but its laws said otherwise. The basic rules on work, study, family reunification and permanent residence in Germany’s Residence Act and in Dutch migration law.
The Direct Impact of Migration on Europe’s Population, Integration and Society
In Europe deaths outnumber births; it is migration that keeps the population going. Contrary to populist rhetoric, the figures for Germany and the Netherlands show how dependent these countries are on migration.
European Union Migration Law
People who migrate to Europe are subject not only to national laws but also to the EU’s common rules. The core EU legislation, from the ECHR and Schengen to the common asylum system and the migration directives.
International Migration Law
The international framework everyone interested in migration should know: the 1951 Geneva Convention, the 1967 Protocol, the migrant workers convention and the Global Compact for Migration.
Global Migration Trends and the European Context
One in every thirty people in the world is a migrant; forced displacement fell in 2025 for the first time in a decade but still stands at nearly 118 million. Europe is at the centre of this movement: first residence permits issued by the EU reached a ten-year high in 2023.
Basic Concepts Related to Migration – 2
Migrant, irregular migrant, refugee, asylum seeker, conditional refugee… These concepts are used interchangeably in everyday language, yet in law they mean different rights and obligations.
Basic Concepts Related to Migration – 1
The first step to understanding migration is mastering its concepts. Basic terms such as country of origin, transit and destination, brain drain and brain gain, and what they mean in everyday life.
