EU leaders, at the end of a recent summit in Brussels, have given their approval to exploring new ways to prevent irregular migration, including outsourcing the bloc’s migration policy to non-EU countries. This shift comes as asylum applications reached record highs last year. The potential plan, although lacking details, aims to reduce the number of asylum applications and experiment with innovative solutions outside of traditional legal norms. Leaders have also discussed the issue of instrumentalized migration carried out by Belarus and Russia along the EU’s Eastern border, with proposals to suspend the right to asylum in certain circumstances. The leaders have signaled a desire to take more operational actions in the field of migration and protect external borders while adhering to EU and international law.
The push for offshoring migration policy has faced opposition from countries like Spain and Belgium, citing high costs and limited effectiveness. However, the tide appears to be turning in favor of offshoring, despite concerns from humanitarian organizations about potential human rights violations. The leaders also called for increased EU-funded deals with neighboring countries to prevent migration flows and emphasized the importance of implementing existing legislation. While the specifics of the plan remain unclear, the EU Commission is exploring options such as offering international protection in third countries and providing support to international organizations for migrant returns. The discussions at the summit reflect a growing focus on external and operational aspects of migration, amid ongoing challenges with irregular migration and hybrid attacks by state actors.
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