On Wednesday 21 February, the Committee or Permanent Representatives to the EU (Coreper) prepared the Justice and Home Affairs Council discussions on the migration questions that will take place on Thursday 8 March.
A note from the Council seen by EUROPE was submitted to them for reflection. This note mainly emphasises that the action taken in 2017 for managing external borders and migration flows had a positive effect. It points out, for example, a 43% fall in asylum requests compared to 2016 and a decrease in illegal migrant journeys to the borders to a figure of 204 734 out of the whole year, which is 60% less than in 2016. The number of asylum requests, however, remain higher than in 2014.
This note stipulates that, "Although the general trends are promising, this is not the right time for a pause" and that migration pressure is not expected "to disappear in the short or medium-term".
The member states are therefore invited to pursue action by concentrating on external border management measures, namely: supporting the member states directly affected, particularly by continuing to help the EU agencies; increase contributions to European border guard and coast guard operations in the Mediterranean; cooperate with third countries, particularly with regard to facilitating returns, implement the EU/Turkey declaration and help Libya and its neighbours to strengthen border management capacities.
The note advocates additional commitments on resettlement from priority areas and swift implementation commitments in order to resettle at least 50,000 people by 31 October 2019. This also involves contributing to the sufficient financing of the HCR and the IOM and helping these agencies pursue their work in transit countries to speed up voluntary returns from Libya to countries of origin.
The note also recommends improving returns policies in a general way and looking at ways of providing adequate financing that is adapted to sudden migratory crises. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)