Svenska

EMN Asylum and Migration Glossary

An EMN Asylum and Migration Glossary covering the fields of asylum and migration has been developed within the European Migration Network (EMN). This glossary aims to improve comparability between EU Member States by enabling a common understanding and use of terms and definitions relating to asylum and migration.

The EMN Asylum and Migration Glossary 10.0 is the latest version that contains terms relating to asylum and migration in most EU languages (except Danish). All terms are translated in all EU Member State languages (except Danish) plus Norwegian, Georgian, Ukrainian, Armenian and Montenegrin/Serbian. The glossary entry and definitions of terms are in English.

Purpose and target audience

The purpose of this glossary is to facilitate understanding of terms and definitions across EU Member States. It is intended for use by anyone working in, for example, government agencies, research, non-governmental organisations or the media who deal with issues in this field.

Online version on the EMN website

The online version is regularly updated by the EMN Glossary and Thesaurus Working Group (GTWG). The latest update was made in April 2025 and it now contains around 540 terms, many of which are new or have been revised since the previous edition to improve clarity and comparability.

The updated EMN Glossary is available online on the EMN website. Improved features make it easier to update and translate into different languages. By using the European Commission eTranslation tool, the glossary also becomes more accessible to languages that do not yet have a fully quality-assured translation of term definitions.

The latest updates ensure that the glossary will align with the terminology used in the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and take into account upcoming changes in the field of migration. Publishing of the next update of the EMN Glossary, which will include terms from the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, is expected in Q4 2026.

The glossary is also available in a PDF version in English (EMN Asylum and Migration Glossary 10.0) and as an app. The app is available in English, Finnish, French, Greek, Italian, Latvian and German. The latest version of the app was launched in June 2025. Download it from Apple App Store External link, opens in new window. or the Google Play Store External link, opens in new window..

The EMN Glossary at a glance:

  • 540 quality-assured and up-to-date terms and definitions.
  • Available in several user-friendly formats.
  • Translations into 27 languages, including new languages such as Georgian, Ukrainian, Armenian and Serbian/Montenegrin.
  • Easy search and navigation by topic or alphabetical order.
  • Offline access via the app.
  • Integration with the European Commission eTranslation tool.
  • Regular updates in line with the implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.

Words on Migration (Ord om migration)

"Words on migration" (in Swedish "Ord om migration") is a leaflet in Swedish, aimed at people who want to learn more about migration issues, for example at work or at school, and it can be used as a simple glossary. The leaflet is updated regularly, most recently in June 2025.

Further information