Countering irregular migration: better EU border management | Topics

By Street Asset On Apr 3, 2024 0 0

Returning irregular migrants more efficiently

European travel document for the return of migrants with irregular status

In September 2016, Parliament approved a Commission proposal for a standard EU travel document to speed up the return of non-EU nationals staying irregularly in the EU without valid passports or identity cards. The regulation has been applicable since April 2017.

The Schengen Information System

The Schengen Information System was reinforced in November 2018 to help EU countries with the return of illegally staying non-EU nationals to their country of origin. It now includes:

alerts on return decisions by EU countries
national authorities responsible for issuing return decisions having access to data from the Schengen Information System
safeguards to protect migrants’ fundamental rights

EU Return Directive

The EU Return Directive is the main piece of legislation that sets out the procedures and criteria that EU countries must implement when returning people from outside the EU who have been staying irregularly.

As of September 2018, the EU has been working to revise the EU Return Directive, aiming to reduce the length of return procedures, secure a better link between asylum and return procedures, and prevent absconding.

The new provisions aim to determine the risk of absconding, which is the risk that a migrant would try to hide away from authorities, while a decision on their status is being taken. The amended rules impose obligations on migrants to cooperate with authorities. They also require EU countries to create a return management system.

In a report adopted in December 2020, MEPs called for the better implementation of the EU Return Directive, urging EU countries to respect fundamental rights and procedural safeguards when applying EU legislation on returns, as well as prioritise voluntary returns.

Find out more about returning irregular migrants to their countries

Preventing irregular immigration by tackling the root causes of migration

Conflict, persecution, ethnic cleansing, extreme poverty and natural disasters can all be root causes of migration. In July 2015, MEPs urged the EU to adopt a long-term strategy to help counteract these factors.

In order to tackle the root causes of migration, an EU scheme aiming to mobilise €44 billion in private investment in neighbouring countries and in Africa was backed by MEPs on 6 July 2017. It has been in force since September 2017.

The new EU Agency for Asylum and Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund

The EU Agency for Asylum, formerly known as EASO, is responsible for supporting EU countries in their implementation of asylum rules, with the aim of making the overall EU migration management system more efficient and sustainable.

The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) is a financial instrument that supports the EU’s efforts to manage migration.

In December 2021, Parliament approved the fund’s budget for 2021-2027, which increased to €9.88 billion.

EU-Turkey migration agreement

The EU-Turkey agreement was signed in March 2016 in response to the increased number of irregular migrants and refugees entering the EU through Turkey following the civil war in Syria. Both parties agreed to ensure improved reception conditions for refugees in Turkey and open up safe and legal channels to Europe for Syrian refugees.

Under the agreement, Turkey agreed to take back all irregular migrants and refugees who arrived in Greece from Turkey after 20 March, 2016. In return, the EU agreed to provide financial assistance to Turkey to support the hosting of refugees in Turkey, as well as to accelerate the accession process of Turkey to the EU and provide visa liberalisation for Turkish citizens traveling to the EU.

In a report adopted on 19 May 2021, MEPs underlined Turkey’s important role as host to nearly four million refugees, noting that the challenges in addressing this crisis have increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They condemned, however, the use of migratory pressure as a tool for political leverage following reports that the country’s authorities encouraged migrants and asylum seekers with misleading information to take the land route to Europe through Greece.

More on migration and the EU