HELPING TO MAKE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS A REALITY FOR EVERYONE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION EU Member State border authorities are facing difficulties at points of entry into the EU due to a rising influx of irregular migrants. This report describes the fundamental rights situation of persons irregularly entering the EU’s external border between Greece and Turkey. Everyone is automatically detained, including children, pregnant women and babies. Conditions in the detention centres of the Evros region can only be described as inhumane. Although the situation is recognised as a fundamental rights emergency, no emergency measures have yet been implemented - despite the availability of EU funds. This report identifies the factors contributing to the current situation where the coordination of local responses in the Evros region represents a key problem. Responsibilities for migration management are divided between four ministries and the allocation of responsibilities at local level is unclear. One way forward would be the development of a specific coordination mechanism at a local operational level, which has proven to work effectively in other EU Member States. This report is based on field research carried out by the FRA in January 2011. FRA - EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS Schwarzenbergplatz 11 - 1040 Vienna - Austria Tel. +43 (1) 580 30-60 - Fax: +43 (1) 580 30-693 fra.europa.eu - info@fra.europa.eu