On December 5, 2016, the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (Council) released a study analyzing the European Union’s “hot spot” approach to disproportionate migratory pressure within the Union. According to the press release, the Council’s study “reveals that the pressure in these countries is growing and the challenges in accessing protection are multiplying.” A senior policy advisor for the Council added that “[the program] is an experiment, a pilot model of registration and identification at the points of arrival that selects between people seeking asylum and people to be returned. Yet the hotspots currently apply practices and standards that are inadequate and disrespect fundamental rights.” The Council’s study is part of a project headed by the Dutch Council for Refugees, in partnership with the Council, the Italian Council for Refugees, the Greek Council for Refugees, and ProAsy—a human rights NGO based in Germany.