Harmonising the Approaches to Protection of Unaccompanied Minors and Young Migrants in Europe

Introduction to the course

Topics covered

• The right to asylum. Protection for refugees and migrants. The principle of the best interests of a child and non-discrimination.
• Social rights of migrant minors between the division of powers and the principle of equality: (a) The protection of migrant minors under the European Convention of Human Rights; (b) Migrant minors in Europe: between EU rules and case law of CJEU.
• International and European protection criteria and framework: (a) The Genève Convention on the Status of Refugees (1951) and The International Convention of the Rights of the Child (1989); (b) Binding and non-binding international legislation on unaccompanied foreign minors; (c) European regulatory framework: the Council of Europe. Recommendations with regard to unaccompanied minors.
• The legal status of young migrant adults. Vulnerabilities in the transition to adulthood.
• Removal of humanitarian protection in recent Italian regulatory developments.
• Humanitarian corridors as a possible solution. Agreements among the States.
• The right to family reunification. Comparative analysis of the legal system and practical solutions.
• Protections for unaccompanied minors in criminal proceedings.
• Guidelines for legal practitioners.
• Some good practices related to the course from project countries: Germany, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, and Turkey.

Guidelines on how to study