Luxembourg demands respect for migrants' rights at the EU's external borders

In response to a parliamentary enquiry on alleged violations of migrants' rights by Greek border guards, Luxembourg's Interior Minister Léon Gloden and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel presented the government's position, emphasising the importance of protecting human rights and respecting international norms.

Cases of alleged "push-backs" of migrants at Greek borders using EU-funded life rafts have raised concerns. Luxembourg, as a member of the Frontex Administration Council, favours respect for the principle of non-refoulement enshrined in international law. The issue is regularly raised at meetings where Luxembourg insists on additional guarantees for the protection of human rights.

The action plan developed by Greece in 2022 on the recommendations of Frontex was recently evaluated. The outcome of the analysis, which will be presented in January 2025, will enable Luxembourg to advocate for stronger monitoring of human rights standards at borders.

The Government also stressed the need for dialogue between the EU and Turkey for the implementation of the migration agreement. With regard to the conditions of detention of migrants in Greece, including vulnerable groups, the Government emphasised the importance of the assessment of these conditions by the European Commission and the judiciary.

Since 2019, Luxembourg has received 510 migrants registered in the Eurodac database in Greece. Of these, 212 were granted international protection, 106 were refused, and the remaining cases remained unresolved for various reasons, including the transfer of responsibility to other EU countries.