EU interior ministers will be meeting in the evening of Thursday 17 and on Friday 18 November for a discussion mainly dedicated, on Friday, to security in the EU and the fight against terrorism. On Thursday evening, the ministers will attend a dinner to discuss migration and flexibility in EU member states’ solidarity – a topic pursued by the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the EU since July. The Presidency is now talking about "effective" rather than "flexible" solidarity, as the latter was highly criticised and misunderstood.
Over dinner, the ministers will discuss the various responses that can be given to the refugee crisis, and alternative or complementary measures to the relocation mechanisms for asylum-seekers that the Visegrad nations are opposing.
A Presidency document is expected to fuel the discussion, and the Slovak Presidency hopes this will allow mutual understanding to be reached on the issue. The reflection covers the future of migration policies, particularly the current reform of the Dublin system rules on sharing out member states’ responsibility for asylum. The Commission suggested in May introducing an emergency relocation mechanism for asylum-seekers.
A diplomatic source says the talks on Thursday evening are unlikely to cover tangible proposals, but should pave the way for other forms of solidarity alongside relocation, such as financial contributions for European agencies or countries under pressure from refugees. The debate will also cover options for burden-sharing among countries to process requests for asylum.
The Bratislava note, read by EUROPE, offers ministers a three-pronged strategy. The first prong would maintain the current Dublin system for the arrival of normal numbers of migrants but would take a stronger line to clamp down on secondary movements of asylum-seekers. The second scenario discusses a solidarity mechanism in cases of deterioration in conditions, and proposes financial contributions to member states under pressure, contributions to European agencies or relocation and arranging return operations for failed asylum-seekers who are not entitled to protection in the EU. The third scenario is an exceptional crisis mechanism for unusually high numbers of arrivals. The Presidency does not state in detail what this would comprise, but each member state would be expected to help and the European Council would have to decide on extra measures to which member states would subscribe on a voluntary basis.
On Friday, as regards the counter-terrorism question, one of the main points on the agenda will be the new draft regulation to set up a travel authorisation system for people from countries that do not require visas to enter the Schengen area (see EUROPE 11669). Ministers will hold an initial discussion of this regulation unveiled on 16 November and are expected to say whether they feel this system could fill existing shortcomings.
The ministers will also discuss the interoperability of European information systems, the application of counter-terrorism measures, and progress in transposing the European PNR directive, which is making slow progress in the member states. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic with Jan Kordys)