COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL Progress report on the Implementation of the European Agenda on Migration
Date: 2019-03-06
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: Greece, Libya, Mediterranean region (EU), Morocco, asylum seeker, border control, external border of the EU, illegal migration, integration of migrants, return migration

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 6.3.2019 COM(2019) 126 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL Progress report on the Implementation of the European Agenda on Migration  
 
 
I. 

INTRODUCTION 

The past four years have seen an unprecedented effort by the EU to address the challenge of 
migration, which has contributed to reducing irregular arrivals to the lowest level in 5 years. 
The  EU  has  offered  protection  and  support  to  millions  of  people,  saving  lives  at  sea  and 
improving conditions and livelihoods. It has supported Member States on the external border 
in  handling  large  numbers  of  arrivals  and  financed  numerous  projects  across  the  EU  to 
support  the  integration  of  refugees  and  other  legally  residing  third-country  nationals.  It  has 
contributed to preventing irregular migration including by combatting smuggling networks, as 
well  as  fighting  trafficking  in  human  beings.  It  has  worked  with  partners  worldwide  to 
address root causes and to promote orderly migration management, including the readmission 
of  migrants  irregularly  staying  in  the  EU.  It  has  worked  to  develop  legal  pathways  as 
alternatives to the dangerous paths of smuggling routes. In this regard, all strands of the 2015 
European  Agenda  on  Migration1  have  been  taken  forward  as  part  of  a  comprehensive 
approach. 

Key progress under the European Agenda on Migration 

 

In  2018,  around  150 000  irregular  arrivals  were  detected  across  EU  external  borders,  a 
25%  decrease  compared  to  2017.  This  was  the  lowest  level  in  five  years  and  over  90% 
below the peak year for the migratory crisis in 2015.  

  EU action has contributed to almost 730 000 rescues at sea since 2015. 
  Millions  of  asylum  seekers,  refugees  and  displaced  people  have  benefited  from 
programmes  financed  by  the  EU  Emergency  Trust  Fund  for  Africa2  –  with  over  5.3 
million  vulnerable  people  receiving  basic  support,  almost  a  million  being  reached  by 
communication campaigns, and over 60 000 helped with reintegration after return. 

  The Trust Fund for Africa has also been key to the voluntary humanitarian return of over 
37 000 vulnerable migrants from Libya to their countries of origin since the start of 2017.  
  Action  has  targeted  criminal  migrant  smuggling  networks:  in  2018  alone,  the  European 
Migrant  Smuggling  Centre  had  a  key  role  in  over  a  hundred  high  priority  smuggling 
cases. Joint Investigation Teams are tackling smuggling in countries such as Niger. 

  34 710  people  in  need  of  international  protection  have  been  relocated  from  Italy  and 

Greece.  

  Since  2015,  more  than  50 000  people  in  need  of  international  protection  have  been 

resettled to the EU. 

  Over EUR 140 million was provided under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund 

to support measures on integration and legal migration between 2015 and 2017.3 

  Formal readmission agreements or  practical arrangements on return and readmission are 

 

now in place with 23 countries of origin and transit.  
In  parallel,  more  than  80%  of  EU  humanitarian  aid  in  2018  supported  the  needs  of 
forcibly displaced people.4  

In addition to support under existing EU development programmes. 

1  COM(2015) 240 final of 13.5.2015. 
2 
3  Member States are currently submitting their implementation reports covering actions in 2018. Many refugees and legal 
migrants have also benefited from integration programmes under the European Social Fund and the European Regional 
Development Fund.  

4  Forcibly  displaced  people  include  refugees  and  internally  displaced  persons.  Support  is  also  provided  to  their  host 
communities.  EU  humanitarian  aid  is  provided  in  accordance  to  the  humanitarian  principles  of  humanity,  neutrality, 
impartiality and independence. 

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This work must continue. The fact that the number of irregular arrivals has been reduced is no 
guarantee for the future, considering the likely continuation of migratory pressure. Addressing 
the root causes of irregular migration is inevitably a long-term project, while the recent rise in 
irregular arrivals in the Western Mediterranean shows that the situation remains volatile and 
that  smugglers  are  constantly  looking  for  new  opportunities.  Key  problems  remain 
unresolved: we need to develop an asylum system which is fit for purpose and which ensures 
solidarity  and  reduces  secondary  movements;  we  need  to  deliver  more  returns  through 
measures both in Member States and with third countries; we need to be better prepared at our 
external  border;  to  combat  new  strategies  from  smugglers;  and  to  continue  enhancing  safe, 
orderly  and  legal  channels  for  people  in  need  of  international  protection  and  for  legal 
migrants.  Managing  migration  needs  a  sustained,  long-term  and  united  effort  from  the  EU, 
based  on  the  principles  of  solidarity  and  fair  sharing  of  responsibility.  It  is  essential  to 
maintain the momentum of moving away from ad hoc solutions towards sustainable structures 
and an effective, future-proof legal framework. These objectives can be reached by building 
on four years of joint work.5 

When the EU and Member States have acted in unison, the deepening of cooperation with key 
partner  countries  such  as  Turkey  or  Niger  has  led  to  a  substantial  reduction  of  irregular 
arrivals. Joint action has paid off in  tackling migrant smuggling, in  finding  alternative  legal 
pathways, and in the conclusion of six new arrangements on readmission with key countries 
of origin. Cooperation with Africa and the African Union has reached new levels.  

All these initiatives are already delivering results and have the potential to deliver further. It is 
essential to pursue the comprehensive approach set out under the four pillars of the European 
Agenda on Migration and put a durable framework in place. 

II.  THE SITUATION TODAY 

Irregular arrivals 

The situation today shows a continued major decrease from the peak of irregular arrivals in 
2015.6 However, some trends have continued in 2018 and early 2019 and show the need for 
sustained action, as well as responsiveness to changing circumstances.  

5  This work includes financial support of EUR 13 billion directly from the EU budget alone, as well as action under the EU 

Trust Funds and the Facility for Refugees in Turkey. 

6  All figures from European Border and Coast Guard Agency unless otherwise stated. 

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Irregular border crossings on the three main routes 

  On the Western Mediterranean/Atlantic route, arrivals increased last year and remain at 
high  levels.  The  total  number  of  arrivals  to  Spain  in  2018  (almost  65 000  people)  was 
131%  higher  than  in  2017,  and  this  trend  has  continued  in  2019.7  Moroccans  were  the 
largest  single  nationality  arriving  in  Spain  in  2018  (a  fifth  of  the  total  crossings), 
followed by nationals of West African countries – Guinea, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire and The 
Gambia – as well as Algeria. 

  In the Central Mediterranean, irregular arrivals remain low. Overall, 2018 saw a fall of 
80% in irregular arrivals to Italy compared to 2017, and this trend has continued in 2019 
to  drop  to  pre-crisis  levels.  Though  Libya  still  accounted  for  more  than  half  of  the 
departures  in  2018,  the  Libyan  Coast  Guard  continues  to  intercept  or  rescue  a  large 
number  of  persons  at  sea  –  around  15 000  in  2018,  with  the  main  nationalities  being 
Sudanese  (14 %),  Nigerians  (12 %)  and  Eritreans  (12 %).8  Tunisia  has  become 
increasingly  significant  as  a  country  of  departure  (mainly  of  Tunisians)  to  Italy,  and  in 
the second half of 2018, Malta saw an increase in arrivals.  

 

In the Eastern Mediterranean, numbers increased throughout 2018 and arrivals in Greece 
in  2019  are  now  more  than  30 %  higher  than  a  year  ago.  This  trend  puts  continued 
pressure on the Aegean Islands, but also on the Greek-Turkish land border, as there are 
far too few returns to Turkey to alleviate this pressure and counter the business model of 
smugglers.9  Afghans  are  the  most  significant  nationality  arriving  to  the  islands  in  2018 
and 2019 so far, while Turkish nationals have been the main nationality entering the EU 

7  Figures from the Spanish authorities. 
8  UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) data. 
9  Since 21 March 2016, 1 836 migrants have been returned from Greece to Turkey under the EU-Turkey Statement and 

601 under the Greece-Turkey bilateral protocol. 

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through the land border. There have also been increased arrivals to Cyprus, both by sea 
and by crossing by land into the government-controlled areas of Cyprus. 

In 2018, there were also significant increases in irregular movements in the Western Balkans, 
even if the numbers fell late in the year with the onset of winter. 2018 saw irregular arrivals 
four times higher than in 2017, with the main route in the region going from Serbia to Bosnia 
and Herzegovina. Bosnia and Herzegovina registered around 24 000 irregular arrivals in 2018 
and around 5 000 migrants were present in the country at the end of the year. However, the 
intensity of the arrivals along the route did decrease after Serbia abolished visa-free travel for 
Iranian citizens on 17 October 2018. An increase in the arrivals of Indian citizens due to the 
visa free regime policy of Serbia is currently being monitored. 

While the number of deaths in the Mediterranean has continued to decrease since 2016, with 
the  efforts  of  the  EU,  Member  States  and  other  partners,  the  smugglers’  business  models 
continue to mean that sea crossings claim lives. Nearly 2 300 died in 2018 compared to over 
3 100 in 2017, and over 220 people lost their lives to date in 2019.10 

Asylum 

In  2018,  some  634  700  applications  for  international  protection  were  lodged  in  the  EU  and 
Schengen associated countries. This is 10% fewer than in 2017 and means that numbers have 
returned  to  levels  similar  to  2014.11  The  main  receiving  countries  in  2018  were  Germany, 
France, Greece, Italy and Spain (72 % of all applications in the EU and Schengen associated 
countries).12 As in 2017, the main countries of origin were Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. There 
has also been a considerable increase in applications of migrants from countries exempt from 
a Schengen visa, in particular Venezuela, Georgia, and Colombia. 

In 2018, over 400 000 hits were triggered on fingerprint records of persons who moved to the 
territory  of  another  Member  State  against  the  fingerprint  records  stored  in  the  Eurodac 
database.13  France  and  Germany  were  the  two  Member  States  with  the  largest  number  of 
these hits (indicating that these are the main destination countries of secondary movements), 
with Italy and Greece the two Member States where there were the largest number of existing 
records (indicating that these are the main countries of first entry).14  

10  Data from the International Organisation for Migration. 
11  Preliminary European Asylum Support Office data for 2018. 
12  Germany continued to be the main destination country, despite a reduction in applications by a fifth, while France and 

Spain saw a substantial increase. 

13  "Hit" means the existence of a match or matches by comparison between fingerprint data recorded in the databank and 

those transmitted by a Member State. The number of hits does not correspond to the number of persons. 

14  The  countries  that  registered  the  highest  number  of  illegal  stays  of  asylum  seekers  previously  registered  in  another 

Member State were mainly Belgium and Germany. 

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III. 

IMMEDIATE ACTION 

Western Mediterranean route: Cooperating with Morocco 

With  Spain  now  the  primary  point  of  entry  for  irregular  crossings,  measures  to  address 
migration along the Western Mediterranean route must be a top priority for the EU. The EU 
has  been  laying  the  foundations  for  a  close  partnership  with  Morocco.  In  late  2018,  it 
approved EUR 140 million in support in border management and budget support.15 Morocco 
has already been working to strengthen control of its border and has prevented a large number 
of departures.16 These EU measures will support this process. First payments have been made 
and tenders for the purchase of key equipment have been launched: the last contracts under 
this package will be signed by April and implementation on the ground will need to continue. 
This  will  also  complement  the  implementation  of  EUR  36  million  in  emergency  assistance 
agreed  in  2018  to  help  Spain  on  its  southern  border.  The  EU  also  supports  Spain  through 
Operation  Indalo.  The Commission  stands ready  to  provide  Spain  with  all  the  financial  and 
technical support it needs to manage the arrivals.    

More generally, the EU is working to further develop its relations with Morocco in order to 
form  a  closer,  deeper  and  more  ambitious  partnership.  Mobility  and  migration  will  play  an 
important part, through a mixture of financial support, closer expert contacts and operational 
cooperation,  including  with  the  support  of  the  European  Border  and  Coast  Guard  Agency. 
This should also extend to the resumption of negotiations on readmission and visa facilitation, 
as well as legal migration. Addressing migratory flows and tackling smuggling routes towards 
Morocco from its neighbours should also be part of this closer cooperation.  

As well as direct support to Morocco, the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa17 is working 
to  develop  cooperation  along  the  whole  of  the  route  to  the  Western  Mediterranean.  A  new 
cross-border  cooperation  programme  worth  EUR  8.6  million  is  strengthening  coordinated 
migration  governance  between  Morocco,  Senegal,  Mali  and  Côte  d’Ivoire,  supporting 
intensified regional policy dialogues on migration. A specific budget support programme for 
Mauritania  was  approved  at  the  end  of  2018  to  support  the  national  development  strategy, 
with  a  particular  focus  on  migrants’  protection  and  maritime  security.18  The  North  Africa 
window  of  the  Trust  Fund  should  soon  be  replenished  with  EUR  120  million  from  the  EU 
budget.19 However, the current pipeline – including essential top-ups for ongoing programmes 
in  Libya  as  well  as  in  Morocco  –  points  to  a  shortfall  of  up  to  EUR  86  million  for  2019. 
Member State contributions will be required to ensure the continuation of this work. 

15   In  addition,  EUR  14.5  million  has  been  granted  for  the  improvement  of  migration  governance  at  the  regional  level 
addressing migrants, returnees, and Moroccans living abroad. The total amount of programmes now under way is EUR 
232 million. 

16  According  to  European  Border  and  Coast  Guard  JORA  data  (Joint  Operations  Reporting  Application),  the  Moroccan 
authorities  prevented  in  2018  almost  15  000  irregular  migrants  from  departing  from  Morocco  by  sea.  The  Moroccan 
authorities  are  also  conducting  preventive  actions  inland.  The  Moroccan  Ministry  of  Interior  estimates  that  88 761 
migrants departures from Morocco were prevented in 2018. 

17  C(2015) 7293 final of 20.10.2015. 
18  This complements existing EU-funded programmes supporting migration governance, border management, fight against 

trafficking and criminal networks and combating terrorism. 

19   This will be discussed in the next meeting of the European Neighbourhood Instrument Committee in April 2019. 

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Central Mediterranean route: Improving conditions in Libya  

There is a particularly urgent need to help people stranded in Libya. To secure more humane 
conditions,  we  must  work  towards  alternatives  to  detention,  a  more  orderly  and  transparent 
management  of  migrants  and  refugees  in  Libya,  and  assistance  for  people  to  return  home 
safely, or find protection in Europe or elsewhere. Particular priorities must be the vulnerable, 
and  those  in  detention  centres:  it  is  estimated  that  6 200  migrants  are  currently  detained  in 
Libya in centres controlled by the Government of National Accord.20 

Within  the  constraints  of  the  current  security  situation,  this  is  the  focus  of  work  with  the 
United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration, 
as  well  as  the  trilateral  task  force  between  the  African  Union,  the  European  Union  and  the 
United  Nations.  This  cooperation  has  already  led  to  more  than  37 000  people  returning  to 
their  homes  through  assisted  voluntary  return  programmes,  and  with  almost  2 500  people 
evacuated  from  Libya  to  Niger  through  UNHCR’s  Emergency  Transit  Mechanism.21  More 
than 1 200 of these people have now been resettled, and a key next step for Member States is 
the  resettlement  of  those  still  waiting  in  Niger.  The  Task  Force  will  continue  to  urge  the 
Libyan authorities to facilitate this work, focusing in particular on reducing the need for exit 
visas and landing fees. 

Further  work  is  needed  to  address  the  appalling  conditions  faced  by  many  migrants  and 
refugees. Since 2016, the Trust Fund has allocated almost EUR 135 million for protection of 
migrants  in  Libya,  and  this  effort  must  be  sustained.  Work  includes  assistance  at 
disembarkation, as well as registration and traceability of persons disembarked. Projects are 
under way to improve procedures and conditions first at this key stage, as well as following 
transfer  to  detention  centres.  In  December  2018,  the  Libyan  authorities  also  authorised  the 
opening  of  the  UNHCR  Gathering  and  Departure  Facility,  as  a  hub  to  help  refugees  and 
asylum  seekers  to  be  swiftly  evacuated.  This  could  also  be  a  temporary  solution  for 
unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable groups. The EU will maintain pressure to ensure 
unhindered  and  regular  access  for  humanitarian  organisations  and  UN  agencies  to  improve 
conditions in detention centres, to increase alternatives to detention, and ultimately to put an 
end to the current system of detention.  

Since only a small proportion of the migrants in Libya are detained in government-controlled 
centres,  support  to  local  communities  is  essential.  Healthcare,  schooling,  and  basic  social 
infrastructure  are  all  being  supported  by  EU  programmes.  In  2018,  four  new  programmes 
were approved in Libya under the EU Trust Fund for Africa, for a total amount of EUR 156 
million.  

Almost  90 000  refugees  and  vulnerable  migrants  have  received  medical  assistance  through 
primary  and  specialised  health  care,  consultations  and  screenings.  Work  will  be  intensified, 
with priority given to assisted voluntary returns, accelerating evacuations of minors and other 
vulnerable people, improving detention conditions, and fostering alternatives to detention. In 
parallel,  EU  humanitarian  aid  in  Libya  has  reached  some  700  000  of  the  most  vulnerable 
people affected by the conflict including internally displaced persons. 

20  Estimate by the United Nations Refugee Agency UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration. 
21  With  subsequent  resettlement  to  Belgium,  Canada,  Finland,  France,  Germany,  the  Netherlands,  Norway,  Sweden, 
Switzerland,  the  United  Kingdom  and  the  United  States.  Additional  UNHCR  evacuations  to  Italy  and  an  Emergency 
Transit Centre in Romania take the total to 3 175. 

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Eastern Mediterranean: Improving conditions in Greece  

The  continued  commitment  to  implement  the  EU-Turkey  Statement  and  the  major  financial 
and operational support from the EU since 2015 have made a major contribution to alleviating 
the pressure on the Greek islands.22 Further steps are now under way. The Greek authorities 
have  taken  a  number  of  measures  to  process  asylum  requests  more  quickly,  including 
additional  doctors  for  vulnerability  assessments,  mobile  asylum  units  and  an  increased 
number of Appeal Committees. Pilot projects are ongoing to find other ways of improving the 
workflow of processing asylum applications. This should result in increasing the effectiveness 
of returns, notably under the EU-Turkey Statement – and in improving conditions by reducing 
overcrowding on the islands.  

However, strong leadership and commitment from the Greek government will be essential if 
the many remaining challenges are to be tackled. The EU will continue to assist Greece with 
financial support23 and EU agencies will continue to provide expertise. It is also essential that 
Member States continue to provide sufficient support to the work of the EU agencies. Urgent 
and coordinated actions by the Greek authorities are necessary to deliver: 

–  More efficient asylum procedures to ensure much faster processing of asylum requests. 

– 

Increased  returns  making  maximum  use  of  assisted  voluntary  return  programmes, 
supported by reintegration programmes. Where forced return is needed, appropriate pre-
removal  facilities  need  to  be  available  and  in  line  with  the  applicable  human  rights 
standards.  This  needs  an  effective  operational  workflow  prioritising  key  groups  at  all 
stages of the process.24  

–  A regulatory and administrative framework able to ensure the operation and monitoring 

of reception capacity and the provision of all relevant services. 

  The  rapid  provision  of  at  least  2 000  places  in  adequate  accommodation  for 
unaccompanied minors, as well as finalising and implementing a comprehensive national 
strategy to ensure full protection for unaccompanied minors.  

  An  improved  referral  system  to  open  accommodation  for  applicants  for  international 
protection and vulnerable persons and the cooperation between the competent authorities. 

To this end, an effective and sustainable Greek national strategy on migration management is 
necessary.  This  needs  to  put  in  place  effective  cooperation  and  coordination  between  all 
relevant national authorities, with operational workflows and common prioritisation rules. 

The need for temporary arrangements on disembarkation in the EU 

The summer of 2018 already saw a number of cases where Member States could not swiftly 
agree on the disembarkation and follow up measures. As a result, the solutions put in place 

22  Recent support has included more interpretation, upgraded reception capacity, and the deployment of military doctors, as 
well  as  the  adoption  of  the  Financial  Planning  for  2019  to  provide  for  adequate  reception  conditions  and  ensure  the 
support on the mainland (see next footnote).  

23  The  latest  support,  awarded  in  December  2018,  included  EUR  190  million  to  ensure  the  Emergency  Support  to 
Integration and Accommodation programme (ESTIA) run by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and EUR 61 million for 
the  continuation  of  on-site  support  programme  in  reception  facilities  in  the  mainland  run  by  the  International 
Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). In March 2019, the activation of 
the  Emergency  Support  Instrument  will  come  to  an  end.  The  continuation  of  the  main  projects  in  Greece  in  2019  is 
supported from other EU funding sources. 

24  Key  groups  include  vulnerable  persons,  including  unaccompanied  minors,  Syrians,  and  nationalities  with  low  average 

recognition rates based on official national statistics. 

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were of a limited and ad hoc nature. In January 2019, the need to find a solution for the rescue 
vessel Sea-Watch 3 triggered a particular effort of coordination between a number of Member 
States,  the  Commission  and  the  relevant  agencies.  Although  only  small  numbers  of  people 
were  involved,  this  practical  experience  testified  to  a  willingness  to  find  a  more  effective 
framework  of  cooperation  in  a  spirit  of  solidarity  and  can  help  inspire  work  for  a  more 
systematic  and  coordinated  EU  approach  to  disembarkation,  first  reception,  registration  and 
relocation in the form of temporary arrangements.  This could involve a transparent step-by-
step  work  plan that  would  ensure that the Member  State concerned receives the operational 
and  effective  assistance  it  needs  from  the  Commission,  EU  agencies  and  other  Member 
States. 

While  the  swift  completion  of  the  legislative  reform  of  the  Common  European  Asylum 
System  remains  a  priority,  the  Commission  already  underlined  the  value  of  such  temporary 
arrangements in December 2018,25 as an immediate coordinated approach to disembarkation 
and other situations of particular pressure in the EU. Such arrangements would mean putting 
solidarity  and  responsibility  in  practice,  based  on  a  mutual  understanding  of  common  and 
shared interest, as a bridging mechanism until the legislative reform is finalised and becomes 
applicable.  The  EU  would  indeed  be  much  better  equipped  than  today  to  offer  concrete 
solidarity  in  a  structured,  effective  and  flexible  way,  while  at  the  same  time  ensuring  the 
effective prevention of secondary movements and pull factors. For this approach to work, as 
many  Member  States  as  possible  should  participate.  The  key  elements  of  such  temporary 
arrangements could be: 

  Where a Member State is under pressure or where it is necessary to contribute to a swift 
disembarkation after search and rescue, the Member State in question requests assistance.  

 

In response to that request, the specific support that Member States can provide through 
solidarity  measures  will  need  to  be  identified.  Solidarity  measures  offered  by  Member 
States  need  to  be  balanced  by  the  Member  States  benefiting  from  the  support  fulfilling 
their responsibility to take appropriate measures for the management of the arrivals.  

  A coordination structure for following up on such requests by Member States should be 
put in place, involving key stakeholders, such as the Commission and EU Agencies.  

  The EU Agencies are well equipped to provide the necessary assistance, in areas such as 

first reception, registration, relocation and return.  

–  Financial  support  from  the  EU  budget  will  be  made  available  for  Member  States  that 
relocate  voluntarily  and  to  support  return  operations.  Financial  support  would  also  be 
made available to Member States under pressure. 

Immediate key steps 
  The  new  assistance  delivered  to  Morocco  by  the  EU  and  Spain  should  be  directed  at 
reducing irregular arrivals from the Moroccan coast and lead to further engagement with 
Morocco  and  other  relevant  countries  to  increase  the  effective  readmission  of  irregular 
migrants as part of a comprehensive approach. 

  The  EU  should  step  up  work  with  the  African  Union-European  Union-United  Nations 
Task Force to continue improving  conditions in Libya and work towards the end of the 
current  system  of  detention  centres,  as  well  as  overcoming  obstacles  to  the  access  of 

25  COM(2018) 798 final of 4.12.2018. 

8 

 
 
 
 
                                                            
international  organisations  and  to  voluntary  returns  of  migrants  and  evacuations  of 
refugees;  systematic  and  interoperable  registration  of  all  migrants  disembarked  and 
detained should be ensured.  

  Greece  should  urgently  put  in  place  an  effective  and  sustainable  national  strategy  on 
migration  management  to  address  remaining  shortcomings  such  as  on  return  and 
unaccompanied minors, making the best use of the significant EU support provided.  
  A set of temporary arrangements on disembarkation should be put in place, to which a 
critical mass of Member States would be ready to participate through solidarity measures. 

IV.  MANAGING MIGRATION ALONG FOUR PILLARS 

1.  Tackling the drivers of irregular migration: working with partners 

Since  the  adoption  of  the  Partnership  Framework  on  Migration,  migration  has  become  a 
central  consideration  in  the  EU’s  external  relations  –  global  partnerships  and  long-term 
cooperation are key to manage all aspects of migration.26 Migration is firmly embedded into 
the  overall  relations  with  partner  countries.  In  order  to  further  deepen  cooperation  with 
partners  a  comprehensive,  joined-up  approach,  rooted  in  multilateralism,  is  paramount  in 
bilateral, regional and multilateral fora. 

Addressing the root causes of migration 

The  EU  Trust  Fund  for  Africa  has  demonstrated  its  added  value  as  a  swift  and  effective 
delivery  tool  which  facilitates  political  dialogue  with  partner  countries,  applies  innovative 
approaches and produces concrete results by pooling funding and expertise from a variety of 
stakeholders, and in particular the EU Member States. Resources have now reached over EUR 
4.2  billion  since  the  Trust  Fund  started  its  work  in  2016,  with  over  188  programmes  now 
agreed upon.27 It is important to keep up progress made. However, without additional national 
contributions, it will not be possible for the EU Trust Fund to fund new initiatives or top up 
the  highly  valuable  programmes  that  are  delivering  results today:  as  well  as  the  gap for  the 
North of Africa window, the Sahel and Lake Chad window will already have a funding gap 
for  2019.  It  also  remains  essential  that  the  flexibility  and  responsiveness  which  the  Trust 
Funds provide today remains a key feature under the next Multi-annual Financial Framework, 
and that the continuity of action is assured.  

Further  support  to  livelihoods  and  economies  in  Sub-Saharan  Africa  and  the  EU 
Neighbourhood will come under the External Investment Plan. The EUR 1.54 billion for 28 
guarantee programmes now approved should unlock up to EUR 17.5 billion in investments, 
covering areas such as access to finance for micro, small and medium enterprises, energy and 
connectivity, cities, agriculture, and digital (including e-health).28 With 94 approved blending 
projects  endowed  with  EUR  2.2  billion  and  expected  to  unlock  EUR  19.5  billion,  the  total 
expected investments have reached around EUR 37 billion and the Plan is on track to meet the 
initial forecast of leveraging EUR 44 billion, a major boost to economic dynamism.  

26  COM(2016) 385 final of 7.6.2016. 
27  Projects  approved  by  the  Operational  Committees to  a  total  of  some  EUR  3.6  billion.  So far,  393  contracts  have  been 

signed for a total of over EUR 2.6 billion. 

28  The final amounts and distributions of these Guarantees are to be defined by  guarantee agreements to be signed by the 

development banks and the European Commission.  

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
Combatting smuggling networks 

Determined and sustained action is needed both inside and outside the EU to undermine the 
business  model  of  smugglers  and  to  disrupt  criminal  networks.  This  was  reiterated  by  the 
European  Council  in  October  2018,  leading  to  a  set  of  operational  measures  adopted  in 
December 201829 to improve law enforcement cooperation and complement the existing EU 
Action Plan against Migrant Smuggling.30  

Fighting  smuggling  networks  is  a key  part  of the  EU’s  work  with  third  country  partners.  A 
new operational Partnership, led by France with Senegal, will be implemented under the Trust 
Fund.  In  Niger,  Joint  Investigation  Teams  bringing  together  Nigerien,  French  and  Spanish 
authorities  have  led  to  more  than  200  prosecutions.  Now  this  needs  to  be  expanded  with 
attention to the southern border of Libya, the Niger-Algeria and the Niger-Nigeria borders. In 
addition, six information and awareness raising campaigns on the risks of irregular migration 
have kicked off this year, in Côte d’Ivoire, Niger, Tunisia, Mali, Guinea and The Gambia.31 

The  work  against  smuggling  networks  is  being  supported  by  a  growing  infrastructure.  The 
Information  Clearing  House  improves  Europol’s  intelligence  picture  and  support  to  law 
enforcement.  The  Crime  Information  Cell  pilot  project  aboard  Operation  Sophia  bridges  the 
exchange of information between civilian and military actors. Common Security and Defence 
Policy operations in the Sahel are increasingly linked together to have a regional impact. The 
European  Migration  Liaison  Officers  deployed  by  the  Commission  in  12  priority  partner 
countries act as key channels of communication.32 With political agreement reached between 
the European Parliament and the Council on the Commission’s recent proposal,33 coordination 
between  immigration  liaison  officer  networks  managed  by  Member  States,  the  Commission 
and the EU Agencies will be further strengthened.  

Inside the EU, Member States’ operational cooperation is supported through joint action days, 
involving  Member States,  third  countries, EU agencies,  and external  partners.34 In  2018, the 
European  Migrant  Smuggling  Centre  at  Europol  supported  39  Joint  and  Common  Action 
Days, leading to 607 arrests, as well as 101 priority criminal cases. Exchange of  information 
continues to be key: Eurostat is piloting data collection of criminal justice statistics on migrant 
smuggling, offering major benefits in terms of analysing and reacting to trends. 

Return and readmission 

Addressing  the  low  rate  of  return  from  the  EU  must  remain  a  key  objective.  It  is  an 
indispensable  link  in  the  chain  of  migration  management.  Low  return  rates  undermine  the 
credibility  of  the  system  for  the  public  and  increase  incentives  for  irregular  migration  and 
secondary  movements.  This  requires  action  both  inside  the  EU  and  working  with  third 
countries.  There  are  immediate  steps  Member  States  should  take  to  improve  their  internal 
return  procedures  to  ensure  humane  and  swift  return  of  those  not  in  need  of  international 
protection  –  based  on  the  Action  Plan  and  the  concrete  recommendations  set  out  by  the 
Commission in 2017.35 These showed how the EU's existing legal, operational and financial 

29  Document 15250/18 of 6.12.2018. 
30  COM(2015) 285 final of 27.5.2015. 
31  Funded under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund. 
32   Ethiopia, Jordan, Lebanon, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Serbia, Sudan, Tunisia. 
33  COM(2018) 303 final of 16.5.2018.  
34  Organised under the EU Policy Cycle/EMPACT (European multidisciplinary platform against criminal threats).  
35  COM(2017) 200 and C(2017) 1600, which built on COM(2015) 453.  

10 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
instruments  could  be  better  used,  with  faster  procedures,  stronger  measures  against 
absconding,  a  multidisciplinary  approach  by  national  authorities  and  better  cooperation  and 
coordination between Member States.  

Such  immediate  measures  by  Member  States  should  be  backed  up  by further  EU measures. 
Newly  adopted  reforms  to  the  Schengen  Information  System  will  significantly  enhance 
Member States’ capacity to enforce return decisions and entry bans.36 There has also been a 
significant  increase  in  the  support  from  the  European  Border  and  Coast  Guard  Agency  to 
return, both with cooperation and with operational action in areas including return flights and 
the  role  of  consulates.37  But  more  is  needed.  The  first  next  step  should  come  with  the 
Commission proposal to reform the Return Directive:38 swift adoption of this proposal would 
bring  major  benefits  for  the  consistency  and  effectiveness  of  return  procedures,  whilst 
safeguarding fundamental rights and respecting the principle of non-refoulement.39  

The investment in dialogue with partner countries over the last four years has brought tangible 
steps  forward.  The  cooperation  under  the  17  existing  Readmission  Agreements  and  the  six 
more recent practical arrangements is starting to deliver results in the areas of identification, 
provision  of documents and orderly return, backed up by operational  support. However, for 
this framework to deliver to its full potential – and also meet possible increasing return needs 
in the future – Member States need to use the opportunities it offers, participate actively in the 
management of the agreements and arrangements, and signal any problems in implementation 
to the Commission. The EU and its Member States also help by supporting reintegration for 
returnees: over 60 100 migrants have benefited from reintegration assistance since May 2017.  

The Commission will push on to develop new arrangements with other partners. Negotiations 
on readmission are under way with Nigeria, Tunisia and China, and should soon resume with 
Morocco. When needed, a wider range of leverage should be mobilised from all EU relevant 
policy areas, in close coordination with leverage at Member States’ level. EU visa policy has 
already helped facilitate negotiations on readmission and the visa suspension mechanism has 
helped  closely  monitor  readmission  obligations.  The  Commission  welcomes  the  agreement 
reached  between  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  on  the  reform  of  the  Visa  Code, 
including  the  possibility  to  adopt  restrictive  visa  measures  against  non-cooperative  third 
countries  on  readmission.  Further  steps  to  deploy  leverage  will  be  essential  to  step  up 
readmission. 

Key next steps 
  The  EU  institutions  need  to  ensure  that  the  next  Multi-annual  Financial  Framework 
provides the scale and flexibility needed to deepen cooperation with third country partners 
on migration. 

  Member States and the EU should follow up on the measures adopted in December 2018 
to combat migrant smuggling networks, including by intensifying the work of Europol’s 
European Migrant Smuggling Centre. 

  The  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  should  complete  negotiations  on  the 

36  Regulation (EU) 2018/1861 of 28 November 2018 on the establishment, operation and use of the Schengen Information 
System  (SIS)  in  the  field  of  border  checks,  and  Regulation  (EU)  2018/1860  of  28  November  2018  on  the  use  of  the 
Schengen Information System for the return of illegally staying third-country nationals. 

37  This would be enhanced through the new proposal on the European Border and Coast Guard (COM(2018) 631 final of 

12.9.2018). 

38  COM(2018) 634 final of 9.12.2018. 
39  Non-refoulement means that a person cannot be returned to a country where that person has reason to fear persecution.  

11 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
Commission proposal to strengthen return. Member States should already maximise the 
potential for improving the effectiveness of return under the existing framework. 

  Member States should ensure the full use of readmission agreements and arrangements 
and  the  EU  should  develop  new  readmission  agreements  and  arrangements  with  other 
third countries.  

  Member  States  and  the  EU  should  extend  common  operational  partnerships  with  third 
countries to support activities such as joint investigation teams, capacity building and the 
exchange of liaison officers. 

2.  Border management – saving lives and securing external borders 

Operations at the borders 

Saving lives of people in distress at sea is a primary goal of EU action in relation to managing 
the EU external borders. The European Border and Coast Guard Agency coordinates maritime 
joint  operations  to  ensure  effective  control  of  the  EU  external  borders  at  sea.  All  assets  in 
those operations are bound by international law and give assistance to any vessels in distress 
at  sea.  Joint  Operations  Themis,  Poseidon  and  Indalo  as  well  as  the  Common  Security  and 
Defence Policy Operation Sophia bring an important contribution to border control, as well as 
search and rescue. Almost 39 300 people were rescued by the assets deployed in EU maritime 
operations in 2018 alone.40  

The  European  Border  and  Coast  Guard  Agency  also  implements  coordinated  operational 
activities  at  the  external  land  border,  helping  to  control  irregular  migration  and  combat 
smuggling, as well as providing intelligence. It is essential that the Agency has the capacity to 
respond  to  new  trends,  such  as  increased  pressure  in  the  Western  Mediterranean.  However, 
the Agency  still regularly faces  a  lack of human resources and technical equipment and the 
shared  responsibility  of  both  Member  States  and  the  Agency  is  not  carried  through  into 
providing the resources required. The two legs of the European Border and Coast Guard are 
interdependent and can only ensure the integrity of the Schengen area if they act in unison. 

Managing the borders needs to take advantage of all the tools available. This means using the 
potential  of  information  technology  to  the  full.  The  extension  and  upgrading  of  the 
information  technology  systems  used  for  border  management  and  security  has  brought  new 
potential  for  using  these  tools  together.  Implementation  of  the  forthcoming  regulations  on 
interoperability of EU information systems – with the right data protection safeguards – will 
allow the authorities to apply the rules more effectively.  

The Commission’s September 2018 proposal for a strengthened and fully equipped European 
Border  and  Coast  Guard  aimed  to  take  a  decisive  step  towards  truly  integrated  border 
management. It would take the European Border and Coast Guard to a new operational stage 
with  a  standing  corps  of  10 000  operational  staff  exercising  executive  powers  and  with  its 
own  equipment,  while  fully  respecting  both  fundamental  rights  and  the  sovereignty  of  the 
Member States over their borders. The reason is that the EU is not yet sufficiently equipped to 
address crises at the external borders, in particular should a sudden mass arrival of irregular 
migrants  take  place.  Such  preparedness  is  the  benchmark  if  the  external  border  is  to  be 
considered strong enough to restore EU citizens’ trust in Schengen. The negotiations on this 

40  Sources: European Border and Coast Guard Agency and Operation Sophia. 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
proposal  are  now  at  the  trilogue  stage,  showing  that  all  institutions  are  committed  towards 
adopting this proposal before the 2019 European Parliament elections. 

Working with third country partners 

Support for and cooperation with non-EU countries is essential for the protection of the EU’s 
external borders. A first step is to allow for close working relations, to deploy teams in joint 
operations  on  both  sides  of  common  borders.  The  Commission  has  negotiated  status 
agreements with five Western Balkan countries to this end. Such agreements were signed with 
Albania, and initialled with North Macedonia (July 2018), Serbia (September 2018), Bosnia 
and Herzegovina (January 2019) and Montenegro (February 2019). 

EU expertise can also make a difference through active operational cooperation. The EU has 
helped the Libyan Coast Guard to significantly increase its capacity to rescue people at sea, 
and  to  prevent  smugglers  from  sending  people  to  sea  in  unseaworthy  vessels.  Training, 
including  on  human  rights  and  international  law  of  the  sea,  needs  to  be  stepped  up.  With 
Libya  having  officially  notified  the  International  Maritime  Organisation  of  its  Search  and 
Rescue area, its capacity now needs to be supported through a fully-fledged Maritime Rescue 
and  Coordination  Centre.  EU  support  has  also  targeted  saving  lives  on  land  routes: EU  and 
Member State support in Niger has led to major reductions in migration flows and work with 
the International Organisation for Migration has led to the search and rescue of over 13 000 
migrants in the Nigerien desert.  

The  EU  and  Member  States  provide  significant  support  and  capacity  building  to  assist 
partners with the management of their borders. Regional programmes have been a particular 
focus: the Better Migration Management programme in the Horn of Africa has helped to put 
in  place  joint  cross-border  patrols  and  joint  border  crossings  between  partners  such  as 
Ethiopia and South Sudan, as well as exchanging best practices.  

This  work  is  also  being  undertaken  in  close  cooperation  with  work  under  the  Common 
Foreign and Security Policy and through Common Security and Defence Policy missions. An 
EU  Border  Assistance  Mission  supports  Libya  in  developing  a  wider  border  management 
framework, and provides strategic advice to key Ministries. As well as training of the Libyan 
Coast Guard, the mandate of Operation Sophia combines the disruption of migrant smuggling 
networks  and  arms  trafficking  with  surveillance  activities  (for  example  in  oil  smuggling). 
This  has  enabled  the  EU  to  offer  a  significant  contribution  to  the  improvement  of  overall 
maritime security and the return of stability in the Central Mediterranean. In December 2018, 
the mandate of Operation Sophia was extended for three months, however in the absence of a 
solution on disembarkation, its continuation is not settled. 

Key next steps 
  The  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  should  adopt  the  revised  European  Border 

and Coast Guard proposal before the European Parliament elections. 

  Member States should ensure that the European Border and Coast Guard Agency has the 
resources  required  to  regularly  assess  the  situation  on  the  ground  and  ensure  essential 
border  operations.  EU  agencies’  work  on  the  Western  Mediterranean  route  should 
intensify. 

  The  Commission  and  EU  agencies  should  ensure  that  interoperability  of  border  and 
security  systems  is  swiftly  developed  and  implemented,  with  the  first  elements  already 
operational in 2020. 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  The  Council,  after  obtaining  the  consent  of  the  European  Parliament,  should  swiftly 
conclude  the  status  agreements  negotiated  with  the  Western  Balkans  countries  and 
ensure immediate implementation. 

3.  An EU delivering protection and asylum  

Modernising the Common European Asylum System 

The  Commission  is  convinced  that  the  EU  is  capable  of  reforming  its  asylum  system  to  be 
able  to  better  protect  migrants  in  need  and  provide  them  with  decent  conditions,  while  also 
returning those who do not have a right to stay in Europe. The EU needs to show its citizens 
that it is able to deliver on an asylum system that is fair and fit for purpose and that could, in 
combination  with  stronger  border  measures,  manage  any  future  hike  in  migratory  pressure. 
The  fact  that  irregular  arrivals  have  fallen  to  pre-crisis  levels  cannot  mask  existing 
shortcomings and the need for the asylum system to be comprehensively reformed. 

There is a fundamental need for an EU-wide approach. It must be based on strong guarantees 
that  each  Member  State  will  deal  with  the  asylum  applications  it  is  responsible  for,  and  a 
structured,  predictable  mechanism  for  solidarity  to  ensure  that  no  Member  State  bears  a 
disproportionate burden. The EU asylum system can only be fully effective and able to inspire 
confidence  if  this  solidarity  is  systematic  rather  than  ad  hoc.  This  goes  hand  in  hand  with 
clear,  simple  and  common  rules  for  how  to  deal  with  asylum  requests,  with  enhanced 
biometric  evidence  underpinning  the  implementation  of  the  rules  and  with  sufficient 
operational and financial support to Member States.  

As long as the treatment of asylum-seekers varies significantly between Member States and 
Member  States’  responsibility  for  handling  asylum  applications  can  easily  shift  from  one 
Member State to another, the EU asylum system will remain prone to abuse, multiple asylum 
applications  and  secondary  movements.  There  is  a  need  for  tighter  rules  and  harmonised 
criteria  for  granting  protection,  as  well  as  fair  and  equal  conditions  for  asylum-seekers  and 
beneficiaries across the EU. The asylum system can only be credible if asylum-seekers who 
have  had  their  asylum  claims  rejected  and  no  longer  have  a  right  to  remain  in  the  EU  are 
swiftly returned. For this, a seamless connection between the asylum system and an effective 
return system needs to be established, in full respect of fundamental rights. 

The Commission has put all necessary proposals on the table to allow this to be achieved and 
it strongly supports a step-by-step approach to take each proposal forward. Today, balanced 
political agreements are within reach on five proposals of the asylum reform. The European 
Parliament and the Council should now take the opportunity to complete the process in time 
for the European Parliament elections and demonstrate to citizens the EU’s capacity to make 
progress. As stated by the Commission in December 2018,41 each of these proposals on their 
own provides a substantial benefit and there is no technical or legal impediment to adopting 
one or several of them separately. The Qualifications Regulation would guarantee the rights 
of  recognised  refugees  and  discourage  secondary  movements.  The  Reception  Conditions 
Directive  would  also  address  secondary  movements,  by  ensuring  harmonised  and  decent 
conditions  for  asylum-seekers  throughout  the  EU.  The  Regulation  on  the  Asylum  Agency 
would  allow  the  Agency  to  step  up  its  assistance  to  Member  States  with  rapid  and  full 

41  COM(2018) 798 final of 4.12.2018. 

14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
support.  The  new  rules  on  the  EURODAC  database  would  allow  Member  States  to  track 
secondary movements and better identify people with no right to stay in the EU. The Union 
Resettlement  Framework  would  ensure  safe  and  legal  pathways,  reduce  irregular  flows  and 
facilitate  relations  with  our  external  partners.  The  Commission  will  continue  working  with 
both the European Parliament and the Council to progress towards the finishing line.  

The  Commission  also  continues  to  monitor  the way  the  current  EU  asylum  system  is  being 
applied in the EU Member States, including by examining shortcomings in implementation of 
or insufficiencies in the national legislation transposing the different asylum instruments.  

EU support for protection abroad 

Offering safe and orderly resettlement pathways to those most in need reflects EU values and 
boosts credibility with third country partners. Resettlement provides a safe route to Europe for 
those  entitled  to  international  protection.  Under  the  ongoing  EU  resettlement  scheme,  20 
Member  States  have  pledged  to  provide  more  than  50 000  places  to  those  most  in  need  by 
October  2019.  Over  24 000  of  these  pledges  have  already  materialised,  providing  persons 
with  shelter  in  the  EU.  For  example,  the  ongoing  resettlement  of  over  2 000  people  from 
Libya has been central to the EU’s ability to deliver protection to those in dire need, working 
with  the  UN  Refugee  Agency  UNHCR  and  the  Nigerien  authorities.  Now  Member  States 
need to maintain the momentum and ensure that the remaining pledges are filled before the 
October deadline.  

Protecting refugees and migrants outside the EU has been one of the key themes of EU policy 
since  2015.  Millions  of  people  have  been  supported  through  schemes  to  provide  for  basic 
needs  and  to  improve  the  quality  of  life  of  people  forced  to  flee  conflict  in  their  own 
countries.  In  particular,  the  protracted  crisis  in  Syria  has  created  enormous  humanitarian 
needs for over 13 million people inside the country and 5.6 million in neighbouring countries.  

–  EU support under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey supports the huge task of hosting 
nearly  4  million  refugees  in  Turkey.  By  the  end  of  2018,  humanitarian  assistance  had 
helped 1.5 million of the most vulnerable refugees through the Emergency Social Safety 
Net,  a  social  assistance  safety  net  scheme,  and  supported  over  410 000  students  in 
attending  school.42  A  further  600 000  children  have  been  helped  to  integrate  into  the 
Turkish  school  system.  Four  million  primary  health  care  consultations  have  been 
supported  and  over  500 000  Syrian  children  vaccinated.  EUR  1.2  billion  of  the  second 
EUR 3 billion tranche has now been committed. 

– 

In  2018,  the  EU  followed  up  on  its  commitment  at  the  Brussels  II  Conference  on 
Supporting Syria and the Region, bringing total support of the EU and its Member States 
since the start of the crisis to almost EUR 17 billion, making the EU the leading donor. 
As well as in Turkey, the EU has provided substantial humanitarian support to internally 
displaced  persons  inside  Syria  as  well  as  refugees  and  host  communities  in  Jordan  and 
Lebanon, as well as helping in Iraq and Egypt. Overall, the EU Regional Trust Fund in 
Response  to  the  Syrian  Crisis  supported  some  2  million  Syrian  refugees  and  hosting 
communities in 2018.43 The upcoming Brussels III Conference will be the main pledging 

42  Under the Conditional Cash Transfer for Education (CCTE) Programme. 
43  The Trust Fund budget reached EUR 1.6 billion by end of 2018, supported by 22 Member States and by Turkey, as well 
as by the EU budget. 94 % has been committed, 74 % contracted, and EUR 690 million disbursed. A strategic Mid-Term 
Evaluation recommended that the EU Trust Fund would be extended beyond its current mandate of December 2019. 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
event for the response to the Syrian crisis in 2019 and the EU intends to sustain the EU 
pledge made in the past years. 

–  Regional  Development  and  Protection  Programmes  focused  on  North  Africa  and  the 
Horn of Africa support third countries hosting large numbers of refugees to address their 
protection and developmental needs.44 

–  Protection  is  also  a  core  theme  of  the  EU  Trust  Fund  for  Africa,  complementing 
humanitarian  aid,  providing  for  the  basic  needs  of  the  forcibly  displaced.  With  over  4 
million  refugees  in  the  Horn  region  alone,  and  an  estimated  10  million  internally 
displaced people, the Trust Fund has invested in assisting refugee populations to become 
self-sufficient, while supporting host communities. Particular attention within Trust Fund 
funding is being paid to promote essential stabilisation in Somalia and Sudan. 

Forced  displacement  is  a  global  phenomenon  that  requires  global  solutions.  Functioning 
asylum  systems  are  key,  in  third  country  partners  as  in  the  EU.  The  EU  should  use  the 
impetus from the Global  Compact  on Refugees as  a platform to  continue using the  existing 
EU frameworks to help third countries to provide support to refugees outside the EU. 

Key next steps 
  The  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  should  adopt  the  new  legislative  framework 
needed to put in place a Common European Asylum System equal to the challenges of the 
future.  Those  proposals  that  are  close  to  finalisation  should  be  adopted  before  the 
European Parliamentary elections. 

  Member  States  should  ensure  that  the  50  000  resettlement  pledges  are  filled  by  the 

October 2019 deadline. 

  The  EU  and  Member  States  should  maintain  the  support  essential  to  the  protection  of 
refugees  and  migrants  in  third  countries,  including  matching  previous  pledges  at  the 
Brussels III Conference on Syria. 

4.  Legal migration and integration  

Legal pathways are an essential element of the EU’s migration management, as a disincentive 
to  use  irregular  routes,  and  a  demonstration  of  the  EU’s  commitment  to  genuine  long-term 
partnerships. They are also essential for the EU to be able to meet current and future needs for 
skills.  Legal  migration  takes  place  within  a  well-developed  EU-level  legal  framework  on 
admission conditions, procedures and rights of third-country nationals, with Member States in 
charge  of  deciding  on  the  numbers  of  third-country  nationals  they  admit  for  economic 
purposes. However, the most significant proposal in this area, on a revision of the Blue Card 
Directive,  is  currently  in  a  deadlock.  The  Commission  will  shortly  present  the  results  of  a 
comprehensive evaluation (“fitness check”) of the legal migration regulatory framework, for 
further consultation.  

In  the  meantime,  several  labour  migration  pilot  projects  are  under  way  or  being  prepared. 
They are an important element in paving the way to a new approach on legal migration. Such 
pilot  projects  can  test  and  put  in  place  new  structures  and  approaches  to  manage  legal 
migration  more  effectively  with  key  partner  countries.  Projects  involving  Belgium  and 

44  Funded under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund. Since 2015, approximately EUR 37 million has been made 

available for projects focussing on protection in North Africa, and EUR 27.5 million in the Horn of Africa.  

16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                            
Lithuania,  Morocco  and  Nigeria  combine  addressing  skill  shortages  in  the  IT  sector  with 
potential  reintegration  at  the  end  of  the  project.  Further  project  proposals  from  Spain  and 
France cooperating with North African countries are being evaluated. These specific projects 
come in addition to a regional programme on legal migration involving Germany in mobility 
schemes with selected countries in North Africa, which was adopted in December 2018. 

Integration  is  a  key  step  in  the  migration  process,  to  ensure  that  skills  and  competences  of 
those who have a right to stay are used and developed for the benefit of all, but also to ensure 
inclusive  and  cohesive  societies.  Successful  integration  of  legally  residing  third-country 
nationals is thus critical to making migration work both economically and socially – given the 
gaps  in  outcomes  between third-country nationals  and EU citizens  in  terms of employment, 
poverty  and  access  to  key  services  such  as  education  and  healthcare.  Supporting  the 
integration of legally residing third-country nationals and people with a migrant background 
is a focal point of the proposed Multi-annual Financial Framework for 2021-2027.45 Actions 
generally  centred  on  the  early  phases  of  integration  would  include  basic  language  training, 
civic  orientation,  and  one-stop-shop  advice  centres.46  Other  types  of  measures  would  cover 
more systematic labour market integration47 and the social inclusion of third-country nationals 
and people with a migrant background.48 

Another important aspect is the prevention and fight against labour exploitation, which also 
acts  as  a  pull  factor  for  irregular  migration.  EU  legislation  prohibits  the  employment  of 
irregularly  staying  third-country  nationals,  including  those  subject  to  exploitative  working 
conditions, and requires minimum standards to prevent, detect and sanction infringements. 

Key next steps 
  The  Commission  will  complete  the  comprehensive  evaluation  (“fitness  check”)  of 
existing legal migration regulatory framework and launch stakeholder consultation on its 
results. 

  Member  States  with  EU  support  should  step  up  legal  migration  pilot  projects  through 
increased support for new projects and the creation of synergies between Member States’ 
existing projects.  

  The European Parliament and the Council should ensure support for integration measures 

in the next Multi-annual Financial Framework.  

  The  EU  should  use  the  opportunity  of  the  new  funding  programmes  to  improve 
coordination,  matching  of  skills  and  improved  monitoring  of  integration  measures 
implemented across Member States. 

45  The  Commission’s  proposal  introduces  common  provisions  for  seven  funds,  which  should  ensure  better  synergies  and 
therefore more efficiency when addressing the  integration of legally residing third-country nationals and people with a 
migrant background. 

46  Mainly  under  the  Asylum  and  Migration  Fund.  Other  actions  would  include  assistance  in  areas  such  as  housing  and 

health care and actions promoting the interaction with host societies. 

47  This  includes  work-based  language  training,  vocational  education  and  training  programmes,  actions  to  support  self-
employment,  the  promotion  of  women’s  labour  market  participation,  social  inclusion,  etc.,  according  to  the  specific 
objectives set out in the European Social Fund+ regulatory proposal. 

48  Notably  through  the  25 %  earmarking  proposed  for  social  inclusion  under  the  European  Social  Fund+.  The  European 
Regional Development Fund can also provide support for investments in new reception facilities and social housing, as 
well as regenerating deprived urban and rural areas. 

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V.  CONCLUSION 

A steady rise  in  migratory  pressure and the risk of instability beyond the EU’s borders will 
keep migration at the head of the challenges facing the EU. That is why it is essential that the 
EU has the tools it will need in the years to come: a deep partnership with countries of origin 
and  transit,  the  financial  resources  needed  and  a  legislative  framework  and  operational 
capacity that properly reflects the balance of  solidarity and responsibility, which must be at 
the heart of the EU’s comprehensive approach. In the Commission’s view, the adoption of its 
proposals  to  reform  the  Common  European  Asylum  System  and  to  upgrade  the  European 
Border  and  Coast  Guard,  as  well  as  ensuring  sufficient  funding  in  the  next  Multi-annual 
Financial Framework – always maintaining the level of ambition – is the right way forward if 
the EU is to be equal to the challenge. 

A comprehensive approach is indispensable – embracing action with partners outside the EU, 
at the external border, and inside the EU. There is a clear correlation between strong border 
and  migration  policies  and  our  ability  to  preserve  the  benefits  of  the  Schengen  area.  At 
present, six Schengen States have internal border controls in place.49 The Commission has set 
out  how  security  can  be  intensified  through  proportionate  police  checks  and  cooperation, 
without  requiring  border  controls,  and  proposed  changes  to  the  rules  on  the  temporary 
reintroduction  of  border  controls  at  internal  borders.50  Having  regard  to  all  efforts  made  to 
reinforce  external  border  management,  and  taking  into  account  the  reduction  in  irregular 
arrivals,  it  is  time  to  take  stock  of  the  situation  with  a  view  to  having  the  internal  border 
controls lifted and restoring a fully functioning Schengen area.  

The four years since the adoption of the European Agenda on Migration have shown that the 
situation  requires  continuous  determined  action  across  the  full  range  of  the  comprehensive 
approach. The lesson is that united action and joint efforts from Member States and the EU, in 
close cooperation with partners beyond the EU, has delivered results and is the only way to 
achieve better management of migration and to ensure that EU values remain the cornerstone 
of our migration policy. This is what EU citizens expect from the European Union. 

49  Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway on grounds linked to the migration crisis and secondary movements; 

France mostly on ground of terrorist threats.  

50  C(2017) 3349 final of 12.5.2017 and C(2017) 6560 final of 27.9.2017, and COM(2017) 571 final of 27.9.2017. 

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