Nikolaj Nielsen
@nikolajnielsen.bsky.social
EUobserver reporter @euobserver.com
Magnus Brunner, EU migration commissioner, today on his upcoming trip to Libya: "I know there will be some criticism about getting involved with authorities, which are a bit dodgy - to be diplomatic. But we have to get involved."
June 26, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Magnus Brunner, EU migration commissioner, today on his upcoming trip to Libya: "I know there will be some criticism about getting involved with authorities, which are a bit dodgy - to be diplomatic. But we have to get involved."
Been reporting on migration and asylum since 2012. It's easy to get lost in the details, to forget the backstory, the historical context, the leaked documents, and the political shifts over the years. Here's an explainer, a sample of what I hope you find interesting. euobserver.com/migration/ar...
Why it matters that the EU is pushing to offshore asylum: 10 questions
Externalising asylum is the hottest trend in EU migration policy; but just 10 years ago the European Commission opposed it on humanitarian and legal grounds. Here's what you need to know.
euobserver.com
May 26, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Been reporting on migration and asylum since 2012. It's easy to get lost in the details, to forget the backstory, the historical context, the leaked documents, and the political shifts over the years. Here's an explainer, a sample of what I hope you find interesting. euobserver.com/migration/ar...
EU commission is helping Germany tweak its laws so that police can more easily turn people back at its Schengen border. Notes new Schengen border code allows for a so-called 'transfer procedure' that can be used with neighbouring countries to carry out refusal entries. Schengen pushbacks?
May 13, 2025 at 11:56 AM
EU commission is helping Germany tweak its laws so that police can more easily turn people back at its Schengen border. Notes new Schengen border code allows for a so-called 'transfer procedure' that can be used with neighbouring countries to carry out refusal entries. Schengen pushbacks?
Trying a new format, bringing together our archives that traces the story over the years. Here is our first attempt. This one on Tunisia with my first story dating back to 2021. eu-tunisia.euobserver.com
The EU-Tunisia migrant deal – in context
The EU is shaping its external migration strategy by partnering with a country that has repeatedly shown it does not comply with fundamental EU values. Here's why it matters.
Sometimes, it's hard to ...
eu-tunisia.euobserver.com
May 7, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Trying a new format, bringing together our archives that traces the story over the years. Here is our first attempt. This one on Tunisia with my first story dating back to 2021. eu-tunisia.euobserver.com
EUobserver is soon turning 25. Blessed to have been part of this since 2012 - thanks to all our subscribers. @euobserver.com
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May 5, 2025 at 7:57 AM
EUobserver is soon turning 25. Blessed to have been part of this since 2012 - thanks to all our subscribers. @euobserver.com
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Reposted by Nikolaj Nielsen
Court upends Greek attempts at returning refugees to Turkey
Court upends Greek attempts at returning refugees to Turkey
Greek authorities are likely scrambling for solutions after a top court ruled Turkey unsafe for refugees. The decision by the Greek Council of State now means Athens has to look at each claim individually.
euobserver.com
March 25, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Court upends Greek attempts at returning refugees to Turkey
EC likely to review Frontex mandate when it comes to deporting people to [most probably] prison detention camps in third countries [aka return hubs] for rejected asylum seekers issued with a return order
March 12, 2025 at 9:40 AM
EC likely to review Frontex mandate when it comes to deporting people to [most probably] prison detention camps in third countries [aka return hubs] for rejected asylum seekers issued with a return order
Leaked draft bill on returns is a regulation. From the leaked draft = "the proposal introduces the possibility to return third-country nationals who have been issued a return decision to a third country with which there is an agreement or arrangement for return ('return hubs')".
March 11, 2025 at 6:10 AM
Leaked draft bill on returns is a regulation. From the leaked draft = "the proposal introduces the possibility to return third-country nationals who have been issued a return decision to a third country with which there is an agreement or arrangement for return ('return hubs')".
"I've been polling for a decade and a half, I've run data campaigns and strategies across over 12 federal and national elections across the world. I have never seen public opinion across so many Western countries unilaterally skeptical about immigration ever," James Kanagasooriam at Focaldata.
March 3, 2025 at 2:53 PM
"I've been polling for a decade and a half, I've run data campaigns and strategies across over 12 federal and national elections across the world. I have never seen public opinion across so many Western countries unilaterally skeptical about immigration ever," James Kanagasooriam at Focaldata.
EU commission does an about turn on the safe country of origin concept in APD. In January, they apparently said there could be no exceptions. Yesterday at the ECJ hearing on Albania-Italy deal, they changed their tune. "It was very strange," says Dario Belluccio, one of the lawyers at the hearing.
February 26, 2025 at 1:37 PM
EU commission does an about turn on the safe country of origin concept in APD. In January, they apparently said there could be no exceptions. Yesterday at the ECJ hearing on Albania-Italy deal, they changed their tune. "It was very strange," says Dario Belluccio, one of the lawyers at the hearing.
Reposted by Nikolaj Nielsen
A new study shows that "offering a discount significantly increases the odds of people paying for subscription" on paywalled news sites (like ours).
Here's a little natural experiment: the first 10 people to use the discount code Bluesky25 get 25% off a yearly membership.
euobserver.com/register
Here's a little natural experiment: the first 10 people to use the discount code Bluesky25 get 25% off a yearly membership.
euobserver.com/register
February 12, 2025 at 1:03 PM
A new study shows that "offering a discount significantly increases the odds of people paying for subscription" on paywalled news sites (like ours).
Here's a little natural experiment: the first 10 people to use the discount code Bluesky25 get 25% off a yearly membership.
euobserver.com/register
Here's a little natural experiment: the first 10 people to use the discount code Bluesky25 get 25% off a yearly membership.
euobserver.com/register
Reposted by Nikolaj Nielsen
Excellent analysis by @nikolajnielsen.bsky.social of Tusk's challenge to the EU's Migration Pact, which the Commission appears to condone
Donald Tusk's decade-old anti-asylum plan takes shape
Eight years ago, when Donald Tusk was president of the EU Council, the European Commission described his proposal to no longer divide up arriving asylum seekers among EU states as shameful. Now the co...
euobserver.com
February 11, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Excellent analysis by @nikolajnielsen.bsky.social of Tusk's challenge to the EU's Migration Pact, which the Commission appears to condone
Polish EU prez yesterday appeared to suggest there is a need to revisit the EU's pact on asylum and migration. Not sure if the interpretation was correct. But given Poland's stand on the pact, perhaps? "Many member states can already see that there is a need to have the issue discussed," Siemonia
February 7, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Polish EU prez yesterday appeared to suggest there is a need to revisit the EU's pact on asylum and migration. Not sure if the interpretation was correct. But given Poland's stand on the pact, perhaps? "Many member states can already see that there is a need to have the issue discussed," Siemonia
Safe-third country concept now up for debate. Asylum working party in the council on Wednesday to discuss: removing connection criteria; suspensive effect of appeal [article 68a APR], restrict movement of asylum seekers, and notion of 'effective protection' [article 57 APR].
February 4, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Safe-third country concept now up for debate. Asylum working party in the council on Wednesday to discuss: removing connection criteria; suspensive effect of appeal [article 68a APR], restrict movement of asylum seekers, and notion of 'effective protection' [article 57 APR].
Migrant instrumentalisation debate in Finland. 1. Russia is using migrants to destabilise Finland. 2. Finland closes land border, creates Act to suspend asylum protection. 3. Act can only be implemented when Russia uses migrants to destabilise Finland. 4. Act has never been implemented.
January 28, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Migrant instrumentalisation debate in Finland. 1. Russia is using migrants to destabilise Finland. 2. Finland closes land border, creates Act to suspend asylum protection. 3. Act can only be implemented when Russia uses migrants to destabilise Finland. 4. Act has never been implemented.
When rescuers arrived at Seifalla's body on the afternoon of 29 December 2024, animals had already gotten to him. "This is also something that could have been avoided if the border police did not prevent us from reaching the location." euobserver.com/migration/ar...
Egyptian boys found dead in forest cast shadow over Bulgarian border police
Three boys from Egypt died in the woods in Bulgaria last December after crossing in from Turkey. Activists say they would have survived had the Bulgarian border police not obstructed and prevented the...
euobserver.com
January 27, 2025 at 3:12 PM
When rescuers arrived at Seifalla's body on the afternoon of 29 December 2024, animals had already gotten to him. "This is also something that could have been avoided if the border police did not prevent us from reaching the location." euobserver.com/migration/ar...
The European Union Border Assistance Mission in Libya is getting a revised operational plan. Point cited on today's council agenda (Political and Security Committee). Behind closed doors of course.
January 21, 2025 at 1:48 PM
The European Union Border Assistance Mission in Libya is getting a revised operational plan. Point cited on today's council agenda (Political and Security Committee). Behind closed doors of course.
EU bubble double speak. Poland opposes EU asylum migration pact. Poland is also helm of EU presidency. So how will the Polish prez convince Warsaw to implement it? Response from Polish presidency/interior ministry = move forward with "complementary" policies to make it "more implementable".
January 14, 2025 at 2:07 PM
EU bubble double speak. Poland opposes EU asylum migration pact. Poland is also helm of EU presidency. So how will the Polish prez convince Warsaw to implement it? Response from Polish presidency/interior ministry = move forward with "complementary" policies to make it "more implementable".
Free article. euobserver.com/migration/ar...
Lithuania's pushbacks of Cubans into freezing forests cast long shadows over rights
In their quest for asylum, Dianalay Gonzalez Castaneda and her three friends spent more than a week in the forests between Lithuania and Belarus, in what authorities have framed as a hybrid attack by ...
euobserver.com
January 6, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Free article. euobserver.com/migration/ar...
EU policy lingo is shifting the word "instrumentalisation" of migrants to "weaponisation" of migrants. The shift is not incidental. One senior diplomat told reporters today that weaponisation "gives a rather large tool of means that can be used in order to fight it.”
December 18, 2024 at 12:12 PM
EU policy lingo is shifting the word "instrumentalisation" of migrants to "weaponisation" of migrants. The shift is not incidental. One senior diplomat told reporters today that weaponisation "gives a rather large tool of means that can be used in order to fight it.”