Even if migration is not a new phenomenon in the European Union (EU), it is evolving very fast and in various directions. Indeed, the current migratory situation creates difficulties not only in relation to the management of huge flows of migrants but also in ensuring protection of their fundamental rights. This protection is necessary both regarding health and food, but also regarding legal security that the migrants can claim under international law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Migrants and asylum seekers (regardless of whether they are refugees or not) also have rights protected under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. It is therefore of crucial importance for the EU to have lawyers properly trained on immigration and asylum issues deriving from the Charter.

This seminar aims to train lawyers from 7 EU Member States participating in the project on be the European framework in relation to vulnerable migrants, the trafficking and labour exploitation of migrant workers, migrant children and migrant families, migrant women and migrant LGBTI+, and migrants with disabilities, elderly migrants, etc. 

Besides analysing the relevant EU (and Council of Europe) instruments in relation to vulnerable migrants, the seminar will also provide an overview on the specific situation of migrant workers (trafficking and labour exploitation), migrant children and migrant families, migrant women and migrant LGBT+, migrants with disability, elderly migrants and migrants with diseases and trauma and Migrants with individual types of vulnerability.

Benefit for lawyers

This seminar will allow lawyers participating in this training to increase their knowledge of the EU legal instruments applicable to immigration and asylum cases (including the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and EU and Council of Europe instruments and case law). The manual of best practices for lawyers on immigration and asylum, which is an extraordinary complement for this seminar is offered for free consultation and download on ELF’s website.

Further to this, and since this is a seminar that will be attended by lawyers from 7 Member States, it offers a perfect opportunity to participants to make/increase their cross-border network.

Course methodology/highlights:

The seminar is organised in Nicosia (Cyprus). It will take place face-to-face, as it is the best possible way to ensure two of the main aspects of this seminar: high-level training for lawyers, and the opportunity to use the seminar for networking purposes. The seminar will last one day and there will be participants from all the 7 partners’ Member States. Lunch and coffee-breaks are networking oriented, as to provide a platform to participants to interact with other participants.

Please note that only lawyers registered in the following Bars can participate in this training: Cyprus, Paris, Athens, Italy, Spain, Law Society of Ireland and Polish Bar Council of Attorneys at Law. If you are interested in attending the seminar, please contact your Bar. Lawyers attending the seminar from abroad (i.e. all except Cyprus) may receive funding to cover their travel, accommodation and subsistence costs.

The project is co-funded by the European Union.