Series · Migration and Integration
Asylum and Migration in Europe
Orhan Turan
- Parts
- 10
- Years
- 2026
Görsel: Steven Lek / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Parts · in order of publication
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
Asylum and Protection Policies in Germany and Current Figures
For thirty years Germany has been one of the European countries receiving the most asylum applications. In 2025, under the new government’s tough measures, applications halved and family reunification for people with subsidiary protection was suspended.
Asylum and Protection Policies in the Netherlands and Current Figures
In the Netherlands, the asylum debate brought down two governments, in 2023 and in 2025. A two-status system, restrictions on family reunification and a reception crisis are changing the Dutch protection regime.
Asylum Policies: Belgium, France and Other EU Countries
For people seeking asylum from Turkey, the destination is not only Germany or the Netherlands. Belgium and France are important options, but a reception crisis and harder politics are changing the rules there too.
Asylum in Europe: A Comparison Between Countries
The rules are shared, but practice differs from country to country. Waiting times, recognition rates, family reunification and reception conditions in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, compared.
