Constitutionalising the External Dimensions of EU Migration Policies in Times of Crisis. Legality, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Reconsidered. Research Paper. July 2019

This discerning book examines EU migration and asylum polices in times of crisis by assessing old and new patterns of cooperation in EU migration management policies in the scope of third-country cooperation. The case studies explored reveal that there has been a clear tendency and strategy to move away from or go outside the decision making rules and institutional principles enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty to advance third country cooperation on migration management. It explores the implications of and effects of the adoption of extra-Treaty instruments and patterns of cooperation in the light of EU rule of law and fundamental rights principles and standards. The book, examines the ways in which ‘the politics of migration crisis’ and their patterns of cooperation and legal/policy outcomes evidenced since 2015 affect and might even undermine EU’s legitimacy in these policy areas

Finland in the International Human Rights System

This report summarises implications of the current operational environment for the international human rights system since the Government of Finland human rights report in 2014. The project focused particularly on four global trends (environmental change, migration, new technologies and the changing security paradigm). The project also assessed political power shifts and movements influencing the international human rights system and its actors. The scope of the study included the United Nations and its human rights council and the European Union. Since the operational context for the ruling world order has changed because of global trends and political power shifts, it is necessary to critically evaluate the potential of the international human rights system to adapt to this change. The current political climate emphasises state sovereignty over multilateralism, and the growing multipolarity and multivocality make it more difficult to reach agreements on international forums. Civil society actors are facing a reduction of operating space, and the role of business actors is on the rise. The strong anti-gender movements and the opposition to gender equality are causing distress in international forums. New ways to communicate the importance of human rights are being searched by various actors. The findings of the project include several promising lines of development for updating the international human rights framework to tackle the challenge of global trends. As are result of these findings, the report formulates eight goals Finland should strive for when shaping its human rights policies in the future. Each goal includes recommendations on how to advance them both internationally and domestically

Migration and Integration. Common Challenges and Responses from Europe and Asia

With the signing of the ASEAN Framework Agreement for the Integration of Priority Sectors (FA) in 2004, migration and integration issues gained significance on the agenda. Primarily concerned with increasing economic growth, this framework excludes the integration of low and unskilled migrant workers; instead, ASEAN efforts to address migration and integration issues have been limited to Mutual Recognition Agreements for skilled labour and professionals. After an analysis of migration policy in the region, we highlight specific barriers to the integration of labour migrants in two priority sectors – nursing, which is highly regulated by the state, and Information, Communications and Technology (ICT), which is typically selfregulated and privately run. Despite a MRA for nursing allowing registered nurses to practice in another ASEAN country under supervision of local nurses without registering with the host country’s nursing regulatory authority, in practice, there are major barriers to the free movement of nurses within ASEAN in terms of skills recognition, licensure requirements and other protectionist measures. Although regulations governing the inflow of ICT professionals are not as stringent as those for healthcare professionals, private costs associated with job search and gaining foreign employment are higher in the ICT sector, largely due to limited information on international mobility within the industry. Three sets of barriers to greater integration are discussed. First, the economic and political diversity within ASEAN makes integration more problematic than in the European Union. Second, the primary concern with value-adding economic growth means that regional agreements are focused on skilled and professional labour migration only. Third, the “ASEAN way” of doing things – via a strong emphasis on consensus and non-interference with domestic policies – often means that the FA provision for the free movement of labour is usually trumped by domestic policies that do not reflect the same desire for labour integration

Which integration policy for Migrants?

publié dans le cadre d'un projet ARC425 pagesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Urinary granzyme A mRNA is a biomarker to diagnose subclinical and acute cellular rejection in kidney transplant recipients

The distinction between T-cell-mediated rejection (TCMR) and other causes of kidney transplant dysfunction such as tubular necrosis requires biopsy. Subclinical rejection (SCR), an established risk factor for chronic allograft dysfunction, can only be diagnosed by protocol biopsy. A specific non-invasive biomarker to monitor immunological graft status would facilitate diagnosis and treatment of common transplantation-related complications. To identify possible markers, we measured urinary mRNA levels of several cytolytic proteins by quantitative PCR. Our cohort of 70 renal transplant recipients had biopsy proven type I and type II TCMR, acute tubular necrosis, SCR, calcineurin inhibitor-toxicity, cytomegalovirus infection, and stable graft function with normal histology. Granzyme A (GzmA) mRNA was significantly higher in subclinical and acute cellular rejection compared to patients with stable grafts or those with tubular necrosis with 80% sensitivity and up to 100% specificity. Granzyme B and perforin mRNA levels could significantly discriminate acute rejection from stable or tubular necrosis, but were not significantly elevated during SCR. Importantly, only GzmA mRNA remained below detection limits from grafts that were stable and most with tubular necrosis. Hence, the presented data indicate that urinary GzmA mRNA levels may entail a diagnostic non-invasive biomarker to distinguish patients with subclinical and acute cellular rejection from those with tubular necrosis or stable grafts