European leaders will ask the European Union for an “urgent” proposal on migration. The objective is “to combat the root causes and fight against trafficking and smuggling of migrants.”
The leaders of the European Union, meeting at a European summit in Brussels, reached an agreement to ask the European Commission to “urgently” present a new proposal for a law on migration, which provides for strengthening returns and partnerships.
“The European Council calls for decisive action at all levels to facilitate, increase and accelerate returns from the European Union [UE]using all relevant policies, instruments and tools of the Union, including diplomacy, development, trade and visas”, refer to the conclusions of the European summit, which ended this Thursday in Brussels after 12 hours of meetings.
The document agreed by the 27 heads of Government and State of the Union also states that “the European Council invites the Commission to urgently present a new proposal for a directive on migration.”
Still, EU leaders pledged to “examine this issue” again, which should happen at the European summit in December.
“The European Council also calls for greater cooperation with countries of origin and transit, through comprehensive and mutually beneficial partnerships, to Address root causes and combat migrant smuggling and traffickingin order to avoid the loss of lives and irregular departures,” the conclusions also indicate, which call for “safe and legal routes” for “regular and orderly migration.”
Through the social network unknownThe President of the European Council, Charles Michel, noted that “migration is a European challenge that requires a European response.”
Migration is a European challenge that requires a European response.
We must strengthen the implementation of our comprehensive approach by:
– create partnerships with countries of origin and transit,
– fight against organized crime and smuggling,
– to better control our…—Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) October 17, 2024
“We must strengthen the implementation of our global approach,” which includes “create partnerships with countries of origin and transit, fighting organized crime and smugglingensuring better control of our borders and developing effective return policies and promoting legal pathways for a well-managed system,” said Charles Michel.
The regular European summit in October comes at a time when Germany and France are tightening border controls and tightening migration rules, countries such as Spain and Greece are also facing migration pressures, Italy is reaching agreements with third countries and Poland is trying, as Finland did, temporarily suspending the right to asylum to respond to what they say are attempts by Belarus and Russia to use migrants to destabilize the West.
This is a delicate debate in the EU given the different points of view and contexts of the Member States in the management of migration, which will serve to analyze how to combat illegal immigration, reinforce the returns of people in this situation and improve the routes of legal integration.
The debate takes place months after the EU adopted a new pact on asylum and immigration, which will not come into force until 2026 given the necessary period of adaptation of the national laws of the 27 member states, but which the Netherlands and Hungary. of exclusion, while other countries insist on the prompt adoption of the new rules.
Portugal defends a consensual position in the EU in the face of new pressures taking into account geopolitical tensions, as long as international law is respected and regular migration channels are safeguarded.
At EU level, it is estimated that 27.3 million third-country citizens live in the 27 Member States, equivalent to 6.1% of the population, and that illegal immigrants represent less than 1% of the total.
In Portugal, the resident foreign population exceeds one million.
Source: Observadora
