Greece

Greece remains on the frontline of Europe’s asylum and migration challenges. Increased arrivals on the Aegean islands since July 2019, policies linked to a 2016 EU migration deal with Turkey, and limited relocations to other EU states have left over 42,000 asylum seekers, including vulnerable people, confined to the islands in abysmal conditions and in facilities designed for 6,000. A new law reduces protections for vulnerable groups and limits asylum seekers’ access to protection. Unaccompanied children are often held in police custody or detention whilst hundreds are either living in abysmal conditions on the islands, are homeless, or unaccounted for by the authorities. Access to asylum remains difficult and subject to considerable delay.