On Monday 26 June, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, sent a letter to the European leaders who will be debating migration at the European Summit on 29 and 30 June, in which she considers it “essential” to forge new partnerships with third countries, while continuing to work on implementing the ‘Asylum and Migration Pact’.
“Last week’s shipwreck is yet another call to action”, emphasised the President of the Commission, referring to the shipwreck off the coast of Greece that claimed more than 78 lives, and further highlighting “the urgency to intensify our work with partner countries” to combat the smugglers, prevent departures in overcrowded boats and create alternative legal routes.
Believing that the agreements reached on 8 June in Luxembourg by the EU’s interior ministers on the asylum and migration management regulations and asylum procedures (see EUROPE 13198/8) represent a “workable and fair solution” that safeguards the rights of asylum seekers, the President wants to engage in new “financially mutually beneficial” partnerships on the external dimension. “Our aim should be for our current initiative with Tunisia to act as a blueprint for similar partnerships in future” (see EUROPE 13199/15).
The letter also provides an update on the action plans adopted for the various migratory routes, the most recent of which covered the Western Mediterranean route.
The President notes, for example, the positive effect on arrivals of the action plan for the Western Balkans route. Ms von der Leyen also made reference to the EU’s measures to align the visa policies of third countries with those of the EU, noting the positive effect of the visa dialogue on the readmission efforts undertaken by certain third countries.
She pointed out that, following this dialogue on visas, which included elements of conditionality (article 25 a of the Code on Visas), Iraq took positive steps with 15 Member States to readmit its nationals.
According to the latest draft conclusions, dated 25 June, European leaders will simply express their “profound sorrow for the terrible loss of life as a result of the recent tragedy in the Mediterranean. The European Union remains committed to breaking the business model of traffickers and smuggling networks and to tackling the root causes of irregular migration so as to better address the flows of migrants”.
Migration is “a European challenge that requires a European response”, the European Council is due to add in a second paragraph, assuring that it will “closely” monitor the initiatives undertaken for the various migratory routes.
At this stage, the draft conclusions make no mention of the ‘Asylum and Migration Pact’ or the reforms currently underway.
Links to the letter and draft conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/7qq ; https://aeur.eu/f/7q0 (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)