A/HRC/29/36 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 17/12. It outlines the activities of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014. The thematic section is dedicated to European Union border management and the human rights of migrants. II. Activities carried out by the Special Rapporteur A. Participation in consultations and conferences 2. In November 2014, the Special Rapporteur organized an international consultation on recruitment practices and migrant workers at which a thorough and dynamic dialogue was held about key issues, barriers and policy options. The findings will be included in the 2015 report of the Special Rapporteur to the General Assembly. 3. In addition, the Special Rapporteur contributed to a number of international and regional dialogues and conferences, including the annual conference on migrants’ rights of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, and the seventh dialogue on protection of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), on the theme “Protection at sea”. B. Country visits 4. Having found that the 1.8 million Sri Lankans working abroad face many human rights abuses, the Special Rapporteur visited Sri Lanka from 19 to 26 May 2014. He recommended that the Government take a range of measures, including bilateral agreements with countries of destination, the abolishment of recruitment fees for migrants and the full implementation of the code of ethical conduct for private agencies. 5. The Special Rapporteur visited Italy from 2 to 6 December 2014. He found that, despite a challenging economic and political climate, Italy has taken bold initiatives to address the unprecedented number of migrants and asylum seekers arriving by boat. He stressed that European Union member States must collectively support front-line States to provide a sustainable response that fully respects the human rights of migrants. 6. The Special Rapporteur visited Malta from 6 to 10 December 2014. Following that visit, he said that Malta must expect continued growth in the unprecedented number of migrants and asylum seekers arriving by boat and develop programmes to cope. C. European Union follow-up 7. The visits to Italy and Malta were complemented by a visit to the European Union in Brussels, as part of a follow-up to the Special Rapporteur’s 2012 year-long study on the management of the external borders of the Union. In 2013, the Special Rapporteur remained convinced of the importance of addressing irregular border crossings, which is where the most egregious human rights abuses appeared to take place. The increased numbers of migrant crossings and deaths in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as weaknesses in the response by European Union member States, prompted the Special Rapporteur to revisit the issues. In addition, the President of the Human Rights Council requested him, at the Council’s twenty-seventh session, to monitor the situation of migrants at sea. 3