Appendix A1. Glossary Terms • Recommendations: contain proposals addressed to the Committee of Ministers, the implementation of which is within the competence of governments. • Resolutions: embody decisions by the Assembly on questions, which it is empowered to put into effect or expressions of view, for which it alone is responsible. • Opinions: are mostly expressed by the Assembly on questions put to it by the Committee of Ministers. • Irregular migrants: entry, stay or work in a country without the necessary authorization or documents required under immigration regulations A2. Resolution 1707 Detention of asylum seekers and irregular migrants in Europe 1. The detention of asylum seekers and irregular migrants in Council of Europe member states has increased substantially in recent years. While this increase is in part due to the growing number of arrivals of irregular migrants and asylum seekers in certain parts of Europe, it is also to a large extent due to policy and political decisions resulting from a hardening attitude towards irregular migrants and asylum seekers. 2. Overcrowding in detention centers is a serious problem. As the number of detainees exceeds the capacity of detention centers, states are building more and bigger centers. However, if they build more centers, they fill more centers, often to justify the expenditure. Yet this does not necessarily translate into better conditions for the persons detained. Furthermore, alternative facilities, which are inappropriate for detaining asylum seekers and irregular migrants belonging 49