EU leaders are set to gather for a summit in a couple of days‚ with migration topping the agenda. The meeting comes as the bloc grapples with various challenges related to irregular arrivals and border security
Poland is pushing for a united EU stance against Russia and Belarus‚ accusing them of using migrants as a tool against the bloc. Other member states are calling for stricter laws on returning those who enter irregularly
While migration numbers have dropped significantly since the peak about nine years ago‚ public perception remains a key factor. Recent events‚ such as the Solingen incident a few months back have fueled concerns despite overall decreases in arrivals
The chairman of the meeting‚ Charles Michel stated in his invitation letter: “We will focus on concrete measures to prevent irregular migration including strengthened control of our external borders enhanced partnerships and reinforced return policies“
Migration has become a top political issue in most EU countries influencing elections and public opinion. A senior EU diplomat noted‚ “Its populist parties using fear to turn this issue into something that helps them and the result is that in order to battle this perception you actually need to do something“
The EU agreed on a new set of rules called the Migration Pact roughly five months ago. However its full implementation isnt expected until mid-2026 – leaving the bloc in a complicated transition period. The pact also lacks tools to address the “weaponisation“ of migration by countries like Russia
In a policy shift‚ the European Commission recently proposed sending migrants with no right to stay in the EU to “return hubs“ outside the bloc. This marks a significant change from previous approaches to handling irregular arrivals