On Friday 16 October, at the first European summit since the Ceuta migrant crisis, migration-related issues revealed deep divisions among the EU27. After particularly tense discussions between leaders over a lunch spent on the subject, the heads of state and government chose the most cautious option: a minimal text that avoided any wording likely to reopen old wounds.
Nothing illustrates the failure of the negotiations to bear fruit more clearly than the paltry amount the summit’s final conclusions dedicates to migration. The nine paragraphs in the latest drafts were reduced to just two, the second of which defers discussions on the subject to “forthcoming meetings”.
According to a diplomatic source, the heads of state and government opted to stick to this modest version rather than put forward further options that would have led to disagreements.
The day nevertheless started on a reconciliatory note. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni agreed on the sidelines of the summit to suspend their reciprocal air and sea border controls, which were introduced amid diplomatic tensions following the Ceuta migration crisis (see EUROPE 13950/4).
The two countries have now aligned the expiry dates of their measures, which are due to end on 22 October, while their interior ministers will next week work on “alternative forms of cooperation”, according to Ms Meloni. “Therefore, we are moving towards a different kind of solution but still remaining vigilant, to ensure the Schengen area functions properly as well as defend our nation’s borders”, she added.
Denmark puts on pressure. At a breakfast on the topic of migration attended by 18 Member States that morning, Denmark, Italy, and Poland, which were “not entirely satisfied” with the draft conclusions on migration, tried to ensure three points were included in the text, a European official told us. They wanted it to acknowledge that migration is “a major concern” for European citizens; to call for faster work to reduce the “pull factors” for irregular migration; and to ask the European Commission to consider “a way of ensuring coordination between Member States on migration policy”.
It is difficult not to see the last two points as a reference to Spain, which faced widespread criticism over its large-scale migrant regularisation policy after the crisis in Ceuta (see EUROPE 13922/7).
According to a European source, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was among those responsible for the breakdown in Friday’s negotiations. Although she belongs to the same political group as Mr Sánchez in the European Parliament, she has repeatedly criticised Madrid’s domestic policy, which she considers “out of step”.
At the end of the summit, the Spanish leader defended himself against his Danish counterpart’s criticisms. “There are many other countries who don’t call it regularisation, but who grant work permits to many of these migrants in very similar amounts to those requesting regularisation in our country”, he said.
Behind the scenes, the outcome of the discussions is seen more as a victory for Madrid, Paris, and Luxembourg — the three leading ‘opponents’ of ‘innovative solutions’ on migration. But with the general election approaching in Spain and the Sánchez government under greater threat than ever, some fear that a Socialist defeat could leave France and Luxembourg diplomatically isolated when it comes to migration within the EU.
Emergency framework. In the end, the conclusions’ only surviving measure is also the vaguest. The “emergency framework” to address “instrumentalised” migration crises (see EUROPE 13939/3) announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is the only measure explicitly included in the document.
According to a European official, Ms von der Leyen is still exploring options for this mechanism, with the aim of “hearing the position of each Member State” before putting forward a proposal likely to be well received. The President said at a press conference, however, that measures should be put forward “before the end of the year”. At any rate, she has been given a “clear mandate”, according to Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, to develop “more robust” measures against irregular migration.
Link to the European Council conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/nzg (Original version in French by Justine Manaud with the editorial staff)