While the EU27, meeting on Thursday 23 October at the European Summit in Brussels, are not expected to dwell on the subject of migration, following the Commission’s decision to postpone presenting the first ‘Solidarity’ report under the ‘Pact on Migration and Asylum’ (see EUROPE 13730/4), Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sent them her traditional letter on Tuesday 21 October taking stock of work in progress.
Firstly, she points out that “illegal border crossings into the EU show a steady decrease - with overall figures having declined 23% this year following a 3.7% drop last year”, but that “the accumulated pressures toward Europe over the years have put a strain on Member States’ resources”.
Next year’s entry into force of the ‘Pact’ will be a first step towards a legally sound framework. In this respect, the president is urging Member States not to tear themselves apart over its various components, as her first report may not be presented until early November.
“We will soon kick start the first annual migration management cycle. Intensified efforts at political and technical level are needed to ensure that all the building blocks of the ‘Pact’ are in place on time and to allow for confidence to be built around the new system”.
The provision of “effective support to Member States under pressure and the implementation of the solidarity mechanism need to go hand in hand with responsibility-related measures: this symmetry is crucial for the successful implementation of the ‘Pact’”, she writes.
Calling for closer cooperation with third countries, she adds that “the strategic and comprehensive partnerships we have launched since 2023 with Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan have proven highly valuable” and announces that there will be a budget of €675 million for Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Morocco and Algeria.
Libya. Her letter also mentions the Central Mediterranean migration route and Libya, the main country of departure on the Central and Eastern Mediterranean routes. “We need to maintain close cooperation and continue providing operational support to Libyan authorities, particularly for search and rescue operations”.
She also provides an update on the coordination actions planned for the return of Syrians and Afghans.
Link to the letter: https://aeur.eu/f/j1z (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)