Maciej Grześkowiak

Great to speak at the @eui-eu.bsky.social last Friday about the Polish–Belarusian border. I discussed how the crisis is undermining the EU #asylum law and challenging the idea of human rights itself. Grateful for the strong turnout and for my brilliant co-panellists and organisers.

Join us tomorrow at the @eui-eu.bsky.social or online for a discussion on the EU–Belarus border crisis. We’ll be talking about its humanitarian and environmental toll, as well as the law and politics shaping it.

Friday, 28/11/2025, 13:30 CET.
Registration: www.eui.eu/events?id=58...

The EU–Belarus border in focus at @eui-eu.bsky.social!

Join us on 28 November (in person or online) for an interdisciplinary panel on the humanitarian, legal & political dimensions of the crisis.

Shedding light on what the EU and member states prefer to keep invisible.

www.eui.eu/events?id=58...

The EU–Belarus border in focus at @eui-eu.bsky.social!

Join us on 28 November (in person or online) for an interdisciplinary panel on the humanitarian, legal & political dimensions of the crisis.

Shedding light on what the EU and member states prefer to keep invisible.

www.eui.eu/events?id=58...

The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants has published a report on the externalisation of migration and its implications under international law. The report is highly critical of many current practices by states of the Global North and the EU as such. Points of note:

All in all, much needed voice in an era of states acting beyond their borders precisely to avoid legal scrutiny.
Read the report here: www.ohchr.org/en/calls-for...

3. The report embraces the 'direct and foreseeable impact' standard for establishing extraterritorial jurisdiction—well ahead of the approach taken by, for example, the ECtHR. This standard could open new avenues for litigating extraterritorial human rights violations against migrants.

2. The report absolutely does away with deals between the EU (and member states) and states like Libya, Morocco or Lebanon, highlighting the harms they cause to migrants’ rights. The report makes clear that externalising states may still be held accountable for violations committed under such deals.

1. The Rapporteur strongly criticises the EU proposal for a new Return Regulation and the idea of “return hubs”.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants has published a report on the externalisation of migration and its implications under international law. The report is highly critical of many current practices by states of the Global North and the EU as such. Points of note:

Poland says it will be exempted from EU migrant relocations

Poland reportedly to be deemed “under migratory pressure” and exempted from solidarity under the Migration Pact — yet another step in the EU’s appeasement of hawkish, anti-immigration policies pushed by the ostensibly liberal government.

notesfrompoland.com/2025/10/11/p...

Commission steps up support for Member States to strengthen EU security and counter the weaponisation of migration Today, the Commission is adopting a Communication to support Member States to counter hybrid threats from the weaponisation of migration by Russia and Belarus and to strengthen security at the EU\'s e...

The Polish government had already declared it would not implement the Pact. It also formally “suspended” the right to seek asylum at its Belarusian border — a move implicitly condoned by the Commission.

ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

Poland says it will be exempted from EU migrant relocations

Poland reportedly to be deemed “under migratory pressure” and exempted from solidarity under the Migration Pact — yet another step in the EU’s appeasement of hawkish, anti-immigration policies pushed by the ostensibly liberal government.

notesfrompoland.com/2025/10/11/p...

'Temporary protection' leaves Ukraine refugees in limbo and liable to rightwing backlash In the fourth year of the Ukraine war, the very features of the EU's "temporary protection" that made it such a convenient instrument for tackling rapid, large-scale displacement can now be seen as fl...

Temporary protection was the EU's quick fix for Ukrainians in 2022. Over 3 years later, it has become a trap—legal limbo shaped by Brussels’ and Member States' politics. I expand on this issue and recent developments in my @euobserver.com op-ed. Have a read!
euobserver.com/migration/ar...

A highly recommended deconstruction of the notion of ‘migrant instrumentalisation’ by @alexandraancite.bsky.social. Used to legitimise blanket denial of rights, the notion continues to shape EU asylum law, despite contradicting CJEU jurisprudence.

democracyinstitute.ceu.edu/articles/ale...

'Temporary protection' leaves Ukraine refugees in limbo and liable to rightwing backlash In the fourth year of the Ukraine war, the very features of the EU's "temporary protection" that made it such a convenient instrument for tackling rapid, large-scale displacement can now be seen as fl...

Temporary protection was the EU's quick fix for Ukrainians in 2022. Over 3 years later, it has become a trap—legal limbo shaped by Brussels’ and Member States' politics. I expand on this issue and recent developments in my @euobserver.com op-ed. Have a read!
euobserver.com/migration/ar...

After a much-needed post-PhD break, I’m excited to be back in a new role: since 1 September, I’ve joined the @eui-eu.bsky.social as a Max Weber Fellow. I’m genuinely thrilled to continue working on issues of migration and asylum in this extraordinary place.

W @okopressrss.plsky.eu napisałem o toksyczności debaty politycznej o migracji i o związanych z tym zagrożeniach.

“What are human rights for, if not to protect the rights of foreign criminals?” A highly recommended read by @silviasteininger.bsky.social.

Here it is: #PhDone.

Yesterday I defended my thesis: “The Gap Between the Principle of Temporary Refuge and Asylum: How the International Refugee Regime Perpetuates Emergencies.”

What a ride it’s been at the University of Warsaw. Onwards to what comes next!

Dziękuję!

Here it is: #PhDone.

Yesterday I defended my thesis: “The Gap Between the Principle of Temporary Refuge and Asylum: How the International Refugee Regime Perpetuates Emergencies.”

What a ride it’s been at the University of Warsaw. Onwards to what comes next!

That’s interesting indeed. Although it’s the Procedures Directive that comes to mind first when one thinks of Greece…

Imagine refugee rights being as exciting to the Commission as smuggling prevention. Only one ensures ‘order’, though.

European Court of Human Rights orders Poland not to remove migrant to Belarus - Association for Legal Intervention On 3 April 2025, the European Court of Human Rights granted interim measures (Rule 39) in the case of A.T.T. v. Poland, ordering the Polish authorities not to remove the applicant to Belarus until 28 ...

@echr.coe.int granted interim measures and ordered Poland not to remove a migrant to Belarus! This is the first such case following the “suspension” of the right to seek asylum along the Polish-Belarusian border. Strong indication as to (il)legality of such laws

interwencjaprawna.pl/en/european-...

Quote from the article: It is a time for courage and for the institutions of knowledge, of law and lawyers to resist – clearly, and repeatedly, for all have a stake in preserving knowledge-related freedoms and the rule of law

The Trump administration's assault on the rule of law is increasingly focusing on institutions of knowledge and law.

VICKI C. JACKSON (@harvard.edu) on a "multipronged attack", why knowledge institutions are crucial for democracies - and why it is time to resist.

verfassungsblog.de/education-de...

This has been a long time coming, but here it is: the Polish government—the same one that pledged to restore the rule of law—has just suspended the constitutional right to seek asylum. And it did so through executive action, bypassing procedures meant to regulate restrictions on human rights.

W książce wydanej z okazji 35-lecia urzędu Rzecznika Praw Obywatelskich napisałem o napięciu między ochroną czasową a trwałymi formami ochrony uchodźców (statusem uchodźcy i ochroną uzupełniającą).

To temat kluczowy w kontekście przedłużającej się obecności uchodźców z 🇺🇦 w 🇵🇱. Zachęcam do lektury.

Reversing this trend would require a major rethink of the Dublin system, which inherently creates divergent interests among states. We’ve known this for some time, but only now are we seeing the full extent of consequences.

Poland's ban on asylum — a new low On 21 February, Polish MPs overwhelmingly voted in favour of a mechanism for the suspension of the right to submit asylum applications. The measure is quite clearly at odds with the Polish constitutio...

Poland’s bill suspending the right to asylum has just passed the Senate (the upper chamber of the Parliament) without amendments. Now it’s only a matter of days before the President signs it into law. I break down why this is unprecedented for the EU in @euobserver.com
euobserver.com/migration/ar...