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: 2019-10-16
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: EU migration policy, aid to refugees, external border of the EU, illegal migration, integration of migrants, migrant, resettlement of persons, return migration, right of asylum, third country

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 16.10.2019  COM(2019) 481 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  
 
 
1. 

INTRODUCTION 

Four years ago, the European Union faced an exceptional challenge when around two million 
people arrived at its shores in the space of two years, in search of refuge or a new life, often 
risking  their  lives  to  escape  war,  political  oppression  or  poverty.  Faced  with  the  human 
tragedy unfolding in the Mediterranean, the EU took swift and determined action to avert the 
loss  of  life  at  sea.  However,  at  the  time,  the  EU  lacked  a  collective  policy  on  migration 
management and border security.  

It  quickly  became  clear  that  Member  States  could  not  address  the  challenge  of  migration 
alone  and  that  it  was  only  through  common  European  solutions  that  it  could  be  addressed 
effectively.  In  May  2015,  the  European  Commission  presented  a  comprehensive  European 
Agenda  on  Migration  intended  to  address  immediate  challenges  and  equip  the  EU  with  the 
tools  to  better  manage  migration  in  the  medium  and  long  term  in  the  areas  of  irregular 
migration,  borders,  asylum  and  legal  migration.  Since  then,  the  European  Agenda  on 
Migration has guided the work of the Commission, EU agencies and Member States. This led 
to  the  development  of  a  new  EU  migration  infrastructure,  with  new  laws,  new  systems  for 
coordination  and  cooperation,  and  direct  operational  and  financial  support  from  the  EU. 
Though there is still ground to cover, the progress made over the past few years should not be 
underestimated. 

Key progress under the European Agenda on Migration 

  Irregular border crossings into the EU fell to 150,000 in 2018 – the lowest figure in five 
years. Key to this has been innovative approaches to partnership with third countries, such 
as the EU-Turkey Statement of March 2016. 

  EU action has helped to save lives: almost 760,000 rescues at sea and the rescue of over 

23,000 migrants in the Nigerien desert since 2015. 

  The EU has shown tangible and rapid support to Member States under most pressure:  

-  Hotspots  are  now  established  as  an  operational  model  to  quickly  and  efficiently 
bring  support  to  key  locations.  Five  hotspots  are  operational  in  Greece,  and  four  in 
Italy; 
- EU internal funding for migration and borders has more than doubled since the start 
of the crisis to over €10 billion;  
-  34,700  people  have  been  relocated  inside  the  EU  from  Italy  and  Greece,  under 
dedicated schemes. 1,103 people have  also  been relocated since summer 2018 under 
voluntary relocations, an exercise coordinated by the Commission since January 2019. 
  The new European Border and Coast Guard Agency has supported Member States to 
protect  the  EU  external  borders,  with  a  second  phase  of  reform  under  way  to  boost  its 
capacity by a standing corps of 10,000 operational staff.  

  The  EU  has  stepped  up  the  legal  pathway  of  resettlement  of  persons  in  need  of 
international protection to Member States, with almost 63,000 people resettled since 2015. 

  The EU has provided protection and support for millions of refugees in third countries: 

- The Facility for Refugees in Turkey is delivering on the ground: with 90 projects 
currently up and running in Turkey, supporting almost 1.7 million refugees on a daily 
basis and building new schools and hospitals; 
- The EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis is delivering with 
more  than  75  projects  providing  health,  education,  livelihoods  and  socio-economic 
support  to  Syrian  refugees,  internally  displaced  persons  and  hosting  communities 
across the region. 
-  Work  to  help  those  facing  appalling  conditions  in  Libya  has  included  evacuating 
over 4,000 people, as well as the voluntary return of over 49,000 since 2017; with the 
African  Union-European  Union-United  Nations  Taskforce  as  an 
innovative 
partnership model. 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
- 210 projects in 26 countries under the EU Trust Fund for Africa deliver concrete 
results, including basic support to over 5 million vulnerable people. 

  Action to disrupt smuggling networks on all routes, including work in Niger leading to a 

major decrease in migrants entering Libya from the south. 

  Formal readmission agreements or practical arrangements on return and readmission are 
in place with 23 countries of origin and transit, with extra support from the EU to push for 
effective return. 

However, further work is needed. The EU has stronger systems to control its borders and can 
now  quickly  bring  the  necessary  financial  and  operational  support  to  Member  States  under 
pressure. It has new channels to support the vulnerable and provide alternative, safe and legal 
pathways  to  Europe  for  those  in  need  of  protection.  It  is  cooperating  more  closely  on 
migration management than ever before with partner countries outside Europe. It is on these 
building  blocks  that  work  must  now  continue  to  complete  a  sustainable  system  ensuring  an 
efficient and humane migration management equal to the likely challenges of the future, not 
least  in  establishing  the  right  framework  for  a  Common  European  Asylum  System  that  is 
managed responsibly and fairly. This will need further efforts across the board, and migration 
will remain high on the political agenda in the years to come.  

This report will inform the discussions at the October 2019 European Council. It looks back at 
the key elements of the EU response since 2015, as well as focusing on the steps taken by the 
EU  since  the  last  progress  report  in  March  2019.1  That  report  identified  a  number  of 
immediate key steps required for action on the Mediterranean routes in particular, as well as 
progress on ongoing work to consolidate the EU’s toolbox on migration, borders and asylum.  

2.  SITUATION ALONG THE MAIN MIGRATION ROUTES 

Overall,  the  migratory  situation  across  all  routes  has  returned  to  pre-crisis  levels  –  with  the 
arrivals  in  September  2019  around  90%  lower  than  in  September  2015.  But  the  situation 
remains volatile. In the first eight months of 2019, around 70,800 irregular border crossings 
were  detected  at  the  EU’s  external  borders.  Moreover,  as  of  7  October  2019  almost  1,100 
migrants have been reported dead or missing while crossing the Mediterranean.  

Irregular border crossings on the three main routes 

1   COM(2019) 126 final. 

2 

 
 
 
                                                 
Pressure  on  national  asylum  systems  has  stabilised  to  a  monthly  average  of  around  54,000 
asylum applications in 2019 in the EU+, substantially below peak years (more than 100,000 
applications were lodged per month in 2015-2016) but still higher than before the crisis.2 

Eastern Mediterranean route  

Recently,  there  has  been  a  significant  increase  in  arrivals  to  the  Greek  islands.  From  the 
beginning of 2019 to 6 October, more than 47,500 arrivals were recorded in  Greece (by sea 
and  by  land),  a  29%  increase  on  the  same  period  in  2018.  Most  of  this  increase  has  come 
through arrivals to the Aegean Islands, with an acceleration since the month of June; arrivals 
via the land border in 2019 are 27% lower than in the same period  of 2018. The months of 
July,  August  and  September  2019  had  the  highest  monthly  levels  of  arrivals  recorded  since 
the  EU-Turkey  Statement  came  into  effect.  The  result  has  been  a  further  deterioriation  of 
conditions on the Aegean Islands, where the situation is increasingly challenging, with as of 6 
October  more  than  31,000  people  present  in  hotspots  designed  for  a  maximum  of  around 
8,000 – in spite of over 20,000 transfers to the mainland this year. In contrast, the number of 
people returned to Turkey under the EU-Turkey Statement has fallen to its lowest level since 
2016. Afghans  are the  main nationality  arriving to  the Aegean islands,  representing 41% of 
total arrivals for 2019. Turkish nationals predominate at the land border in 2019, with around 
three-quarters of arrivals.  

Cyprus  has  been  faced  with  an  increase  in  arrivals  in  2019,  and  currently  has  the  highest 
number  of  arrivals  per  capita  in  the  EU.  As  of  29  September,  more  than  5,700  arrivals  had 
been reported in the government-controlled areas of Cyprus after crossing the Green Line. A 
much smaller number of arrivals by boat directly from Lebanon was recorded.3  

Western Balkans route  

After the number of irregular migrants detected on this route halved from 2017 to 2018, 2019 
has seen an increase in irregular border crossings across the Western Balkan region. Between 
January and August, more than 6,6004 irregular arrivals to the EU were recorded. Afghans are 
the  main  nationality,  representing  over  half  the  total.  In  recent  months  Bosnia  and 
Herzegovina  has  faced  weekly  arrivals  of  up  to  900  persons.  Despite  this  increase  in  the 
numbers of irregular arrivals via the Western Balkans route, the situation remains far removed 
from the experience in 2015 and 2016. 

Central Mediterranean route 

Overall, irregular arrivals remain low on the Central Mediterranean route, despite a significant 
increase  of  arrivals  to  Malta,  which  has  seen  more  than  2,800  arrivals  in  2019  up  to  6 
October, an almost threefold increase on the same period of 2018.  

Combined  arrivals  to  Italy  and  Malta  as  of  6  October  2019  are  a  little  under  11,000,  a 
decrease of more than 52% compared to the same period last year. Arrivals to Italy, just under 
8,000  as  of  6  October  2019,  are  around  two  thirds  lower  than  in  the  same  period  in  2018. 
Tunisia is the main country of departure towards Italy in 2019 so far, followed by Libya. The 
Libyan  Coast  Guard  continues  to  intercept  and  rescue  a  large  number  of  persons  at  sea  – 
reporting over 7,100 in 2019 so far (the total for 2018 was around 15,000). The largest single 
nationality arriving in Italy in 2019 is Tunisians, with 28% of the total.  

2   EU+ means all 28 Member States plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. 
3   71 persons as of 29 September. 
4  https://frontex.europa.eu/along-eu-borders/migratory-map/.  

3 

 
 
 
                                                 
Western Mediterranean/Atlantic route 

While  Spain  saw  the  largest  number  of  irregular  arrivals  to  the  EU  in  2018,  with  almost 
64,300  arrivals,  since  February  2019  monthly  arrivals  have  been  significantly  reduced 
compared to  2018. The total number of  arrivals to Spain  by the beginning of October 2019 
was around 23,600, a 47% decrease compared to the same period in 2018. A major factor has 
been the investment in EU-Morocco relations, including substantial EU financial support for 
border management and the fight against irregular migration. This has helped the Moroccan 
government to reinforce border controls and combat migrant smugglers.  

So far in 2019, Morocco is the main country of origin of irregular migrants arriving in Spain, 
around  30%  of  the  total,  followed  by  Algeria,  Guinea,  Mali,  and  Côte  d’Ivoire.  The  vast 
majority  of  irregular  migrants  arriving  in  Spain  departed  from  Morocco,  although  there  has 
been a small recent rise from Algeria. 

Asylum situation 

In the first nine months of 2019, more than 500,000 applications were lodged in the EU+ (a 
slight increase compared to almost 497,000 in the same period of 2018). The main receiving 
countries  in  2019  so  far  are  Germany,  France,  Spain,  Greece  and  the  United  Kingdom, 
representing  more  than  72%  of  the  total.  In  2018,  the  main  countries  of  origin  were  Syria, 
Afghanistan and  Iraq, and so far in  2019 they are Afghanistan, Syria and Venezuela.  In the 
first half of 2019, 96,800 positive decisions were issued in the EU+.5 The recognition rate for 
first-instance decisions issued between February and July 2019 was 34%.6 

Intrinsic  to  the  significant  number  of  claims  are  the  applications  lodged  as  a  result  of 
secondary movements, which entail that people who have been recorded in one Member State 
are then found making a claim in another. Although the assessment of secondary movements 
relies currently mainly on data that looks exclusively at applications instead of persons – and 
one person could have made claims in several Member States – over 280,000 of these foreign 
hits  were  registered  in  the  Eurodac  database  within  the  first  nine  months  of  2019.  In  fact, 
although the main countries of first entry such as Italy and Greece have the largest number of 
existing  records,  France  and  Germany  remain  the  main  destination  countries  of  secondary 
movements with the largest number of hits registered.  

3.  EU SUPPORT TO MEMBER STATES AND WORK ALONG THE KEY ROUTES 

 

Eastern Mediterranean route  

The EU-Turkey Statement of March 2016 and the Facility for Refugees in Turkey  

Turkey is a key partner for the EU, including for the management of migration in the Eastern 
Mediterranean.  Since  March  2016,  the  EU-Turkey  Statement  has  played  a  crucial  role  in 
ensuring that irregular migration flows in the Eastern Mediterranean are addressed effectively 
and jointly by the EU and Turkey. The Statement has continued to deliver concrete results in 
reducing irregular and dangerous crossings, and the number of lives lost in the Aegean Sea. 
Even if arrivals to Greece by sea and by land in the second part of 2019 have increased, they 
are not comparable to the number of arrivals seen in 2015. Equally important, the Statement 
has brought support on a major scale to Syrian refugees and host communities in Turkey, and 
the safe resettlement of Syrians from Turkey to Europe.   

5   Source: Eurostat. 
6   https://www.easo.europa.eu/latest-asylum-trends.  

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Turkey is hosting the largest refugee population in the world – around 4 million people7 – and 
the  EU’s  assistance  provides  vital  support  to  people  in  need  via  the  €6  billion  Facility  for 
Refugees  in  Turkey.  EU  funds  are  currently  supporting  90  ongoing  projects,  with  30 
additional  projects  starting  in  2020.  The  Facility  has  an  innovative  approach,  with  Member 
States and Turkey fully involved in the targeting of projects, and with fast-track procedures to 
accelerate  delivery.8  Many  projects  will  continue  to  deliver  support  until  2024-25.  The 
Facility has swiftly responded to essential needs, and it is clear that many of those needs will 
remain in the near future.  

The Facility for Refugees in Turkey: key actions under way 

  Almost 1.7 million Syrians receiving support for basic daily needs; 
  More than half a million refugee children supported to attend school; 
  4,500  Turkish  language  teachers  employed  to  give  language  training  to  over  250,000 

children; 

  A vaccination programme continuing which has meant 650,000 refugee infants vaccinated 

so far; 

  Almost 40,000 children provided with transport to get to school; 
  Around 1.5 million pre-natal consultations already delivered; 
  Around 8.1 million primary healthcare consultations already delivered; 
  Construction of 180 schools and provision of 179 migrant health centres under way. 

To date, 97% of the funds in the Facility have been allocated (allocation of the full €6 billion 
is expected by the end of 2019), with total disbursements so far close to €3 billion.9 Projects 
to start early in 2020 will include continued support to access to healthcare and education for 
refugees,  infrastructure  for  waste  and  water  management,  and  helping  labour  market 
integration and employment for refugees. 

Turkey  is  today  facing  increasing  migration  pressure,  as  instability  in  the  wider  region 
remains. The number of irregular migrants apprehended by the Turkish authorities in 2019 so 
far is close to 270,000.10 In particular, there has been a rise in the number of Afghan nationals 
arriving irregularly and being apprehended in Turkey. Turkey announced in May 2019 that it 
intended to return around 100,000 Afghan nationals to their home country until the end of the 
year, and has engaged with the Afghan government to agree on the numbers and frequency of 
return. The challenge of hosting Syrian refugees in a situation of protracted displacement in 
Turkey would be a challenge to any country and deserves the necessary support. 

Addressing migratory trends along the Eastern route 

Since 2016, the EU has supported political dialogue between Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran 
to  find  durable  solutions  for  Afghan  refugees  in  host  countries.  This  is  complemented  by 
financial assistance to the amount of €300 million to help Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, 
Iran  and  Iraq.11  The  aim  is  to  support  migrants,  refugees,  internally  displaced  persons  and 
returnees,  as  well  as  host  communities,  and  to  help  public  authorities  with  migration 
management and sustainable reintegration of returnees. For example, in Afghanistan, support 

8 

7   According  to  UNHCR,  Turkey  hosts  more  than  3.6  million  Syrian  refugees,  as  well  as  some  360,000 
refugees  and  asylum-seekers  from  countries  other  than  Syria,  mainly  from  Afghanistan,  Iraq  and  Iran 
(http://reporting.unhcr.org/node/2544?y=2019#year).  
In  its  report  on  the  Facility  for  Refugees  in  Turkey,  the  European  Court  of  Auditors  found  that,  in  a 
challenging context, the Facility rapidly mobilised funds, which were contracted up to five times faster than 
traditional assistance in Turkey under the Instrument for Pre-Accession. 

9   €5.8 billion have been programmed so far (€2.23 billion in humanitarian assistance and €3.57 billion in non-

humanitarian assistance), of which €4.2 billion has been contracted and €2.57 billion disbursed. 

10   According to the Turkish Directorate-General for Migration Management. 
11   Special Measures on Migration and displacement in Asia and the Middle East adopted in 2016 and 2017. 

5 

 
                                                 
so  far  has  helped  almost  10,000  households  covering  70,000  individuals,  with  community 
development, vocational training, and boosting small enterprises. Support is also provided to 
Afghan  nationals  inside  Iran  and  Pakistan,  for  example  with  45,000  Afghan  refugees  now 
accessing the health insurance system in Iran.  

Since  the  summer  of  2018,  the  EU  has  extended  its  post-arrival  assistance  under  the  EU-
Afghanistan  Joint  Way  Forward  on  Migration  beyond  returnees  from  the  EU  to  include 
Afghan  nationals  returned  by  Turkey.  Since  then,  the  EU  has  assisted  more  than  15,000 
returnees  from  Turkey to Afghanistan, providing counselling, medical  assistance, temporary 
accommodation, cash assistance and onward transportation to their final destination. 

Under the Statement, Turkey is committed to prevent an increase in irregular migration flows 
on  new  sea  or  land  routes,  which  has  proved  challenging,  as  indicated  by  recent  increased 
arrivals in Greece and Cyprus, and previously at the land border with Bulgaria and Greece.  

Returns  of  all  new  irregular  migrants  from  Greece  to  Turkey  under  the  Statement  is  a 
continuous challenge. Greece has managed to return only 1,908 migrants under the Statement, 
with the pace slowing and around 100 returns this year. This is a major obstacle to progress, 
also linked to the lengthy asylum procedures currently in place in Greece. The Commission is 
continuing  its  efforts  to  support  both  resettlements  and  an  acceleration  in  returns.  An 
improvement  in  asylum  requests  processing,  on  both  the  mainland  and  the  islands,  would 
significantly contribute to accelerating returns. 

Resettlement of Syrian refugees to EU Member States under the Statement has been a clear 
success,  with  over  25,000  persons  in  need  of  international  protection  resettled  since  April 
2016  to  18  Member  States.  These  efforts  should  be  maintained  and  the  Commission  will 
continue providing its support. The Commission has called for the activation of the Voluntary 
Humanitarian  Admission  Scheme12  with  Turkey,  which  would  boost  the  implementation  of 
the EU-Turkey Statement and further demonstrate the EU’s commitment to it. 

The  EU-Turkey  Statement  also  included  a  wide  range  of  other  key  issues  in  EU-Turkey 
relations.  One  area  which  has  seen  further  developments  is  visa  liberalisation.  One 
benchmark, related to document security, has been completed since the March report, with six 
now  remaining  out  of  the  total  of  72  benchmarks.  Turkey  set  out  in  September  2019  a 
renewed  effort  to  address  these  benchmarks.  The  Commission  continues  to  encourage 
Turkey’s  efforts  to  complete  the  delivery  of  all  the  outstanding  benchmarks  of  the  Visa 
Liberalisation Roadmap as soon as possible.  

The  full  and  sustained  implementation  of  the  EU-Turkey  Statement  requires  continuous 
efforts  and  political  determination  from  all  sides.  Recent  political  contacts  have  underlined 
that  the  Commission  will  continue  to  drive  this  work  forward  and  address  next  steps  and 
challenges  where  they  arise.13  As  well  as  the  support  for  the  refugees  in  Turkey,  the  EU 
assists  Turkey  through  regular  pre-accession  assistance  with  the  aim  to  further  increase  the 
authorities’ capacity to manage irregular migration into Turkey and onwards to the EU. This 
includes  support  for  voluntary  return  from  Turkey  and  reintegration  programmes  and 
integrated border management assistance. Discussions between the Commission and Turkey 
are now under way to agree further direct support to migration management this year. 

12   The Voluntary Humanitarian Admission Scheme is a further resettlement scheme envisaged under the EU-
Turkey Statement. The Standard Operating Procedures for the scheme were endorsed by both Turkey and the 
EU  Member  States  in  2017.  According  to  the  EU-Turkey  Statement,  the  scheme  will  be  activated  once 
irregular  crossings  between  Turkey  and  the  EU  end  or  at  least  have  been  substantially  and  sustainably 
reduced. 

13   For  example,  the  visit  by  Commissioner  Avramopoulos  and  German  Minister  of  the  Interior  Seehofer  to 

Turkey and Greece on 3 and 4 October 2019. 

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The  EU  has  been  at  the  forefront  of  the  humanitarian  response  to  the  needs  caused  by  the 
Syria  crisis,  with  humanitarian  assistance  to  Syria  and  the  region  amounting  to  €1.6  billion 
between 2014 and 2019. In 2019 alone, the EU allocated €170 million to providing life-saving 
multi-sectoral  assistance  to  vulnerable  people  inside  Syria,  wherever  they  are.  In  2018,  EU 
humanitarian assistance reached some 9 million beneficiaries inside Syria. 

The EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis  

The EU Regional  Trust  Fund in  Response to  the Syrian Crisis  brings together contributions 
from 22 Member States, Turkey and the EU budget to support to host communities, refugees 
and  internally  displaced  persons  in  Jordan,  Lebanon,  Turkey  and  Iraq.  Since  its  creation  in 
2014,  it  has  evolved  from  providing  early  recovery  assistance  addressing  basic  needs  to 
supporting  host  countries  with  strengthening  national  systems  and  infrastructure,  as  well  as 
the  self-reliance  and  resilience  of  refugees.  Programmes  totalling  more  than  €1.6  billion  in 
over  75  projects  are  focused  on  areas  including  education,  livelihoods,  health,  and  socio-
economic support. In June 2019, a further €100 million package was agreed focused on higher 
education, resilience and protection in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.  

A  series  of  programmes  to  support  refugees  and  host  communities  in  Jordan  and  Lebanon 
totals  almost  €4  billion  since  the  start  of  the  Syria  crisis  in  2011.  In  2018,  results  include 
access to basic education for almost 290,000 refugee children in Jordan and Lebanon, access 
to  health  services  in  Lebanon  for  375,000  persons,  and  almost  143,000  refugees  receiving 
monthly transfers to cover their basic needs in Jordan. 

In March 2019 the EU hosted a third conference on “Supporting the Future of Syria and the 
Region”.  The  international  community  and  refugee  hosting  countries  reaffirmed  their 
commitment  to  support  the  millions  affected  by  the  conflict  and  the  countries  and 
communities  hosting  them,  including  Lebanon,  Jordan,  and  Turkey.  The  international 
community  pledged  more  than  €6.2  billion  for  2019  (92%  of  this  amount  has  already  been 
contributed), and a further €2.1 billion for 2020 and beyond. More than 80% of these pledges 
were made by the EU and its Member States.  International  financial institutions and donors 
also announced €18.5 billion in loans for 2019 and beyond. 

Support to Greece and Cyprus 

Previous  progress  reports  emphasised  the  urgent  need  for  further  progress  in  Greece.  The 
increased arrivals since the summer have again underlined the need for action, most obviously 
in terms of improving reception conditions in the Greek islands, and substantially increasing 
the pace of returns from Greece under the EU-Turkey Statement. First steps have been taken 
with new national strategies for the reception of migrants and for unaccompanied minors, and 
the government has also committed to review aspects of the legal framework for asylum with 
the  aim  of  faster  processing  and  increased  returns.  However,  the  challenging  conditions 
caused by the increase in arrivals and the onset of winter highlight the need for urgent action. 
The Commission and the relevant EU agencies are providing every possible support to Greece 
for accelerating the necessary work.  
EU funding has continued to help Greece, with over €2.2 billion in support since 2015.14 This 
includes  €8  million  provided  in  September  2019  to  two  projects  for  the  International 
Organisation for Migration to improve protection and reception conditions for unaccompanied 
minors,  as  well  as  enhancing  safety  in  the  mainland  sites.  During  2019,  the  Emergency 

14   Support  from  the  Asylum,  Migration  and  Integration  Fund,  the  Internal  Security  Fund  and  the  Emergency 
Support Instrument. The activation of the Emergency Support Instrument, which provided support to address 
the humanitarian needs of migrants and refugees stranded in Greece, ended in March 2019. Over three years, 
a  total  of  over  €643  million  was  provided.  The  funding  of  some  activities,  such  as  specific  sites  for 
unaccompanied minors and health care have been handed over to the Greek authorities. 

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Support  to  Integration  and  Accommodation  (ESTIA)  programme,  implemented  by  the  UN 
Refugee  Agency  (UNHCR),  continued  to  provide  rental  accommodation  to  over  25,000 
asylum seekers and refugees, as well as monthly cash allowances to over 72,000 people. The 
EU has also funded the work of the International Organisation for Migration and the United 
Nations  International  Children's  Emergency  Fund  to  provide  on-site  support  in  reception 
facilities on the mainland.15 EU agencies play a major role, but the work of both the European 
Asylum  Support  Office  and  the  European  Border  and  Coast  Guard  Agency  relies  on  the 
provision  of  experts  from  Member  States.  Shortfalls  in  the  number  of  experts  pledged  has 
meant  a  persistent  shortage  on  the  ground,  reducing  the  effectiveness  of  operations.  In 
addition,  the  Commission  is  supporting  a  number  of  ongoing  programmes  managed  by  the 
Greek authorities that aim to bridge existing gaps in legal aid, medical care and interpretation, 
both on the islands and on the mainland. 
EU  funding  to  Cyprus  since  2014  has  reached  almost  €100  million,16  including  over 
€4 million  in  emergency  assistance.  Member  State  experts  are  also  deployed,  and  the 
increased pressure on Cyprus calls for these pledges to be increased. In cooperation with the 
EU, Cyprus has developed a comprehensive action plan to effectively manage migration, the 
implementation  of  which  is  ongoing  with  the  financial  and  operational  support  of  the 
Commission and the EU agencies.  

The Commission continues to support activities that could lead to tangible solidarity also in 
the  Eastern  Mediterranean.  Requests  for  assistance  through  relocation  from  Cyprus  and 
Greece  require  a  response  from  Member  States  in  a  timely  manner.  The  Commission  will 
continue  to  support  these  efforts  as  necessary,  including  through  financial  support  from  the 
EU budget that can be made available to Member States that relocate voluntarily.17  

 

Western Balkans route  

Since the beginning of the crisis in 2015, more than €141 million of EU assistance has been 
provided  in  support  of  the  Western  Balkans  to  directly  address  the  refugee  and  migration 
crisis.18  Support  has  also  come  in  the  form  of  expertise  from  EU  Agencies  and  Member 
States, with a strong focus on transposing EU norms and standards into the national migration 
policy and legal frameworks. 48 guest border guards have been deployed in Serbia and 146 in 
North  Macedonia.  While  this  has  helped  to  build  stronger  migration,  asylum  and  border 
management systems, national administrative capacities continue to remain limited and often 
struggle to meet the challenge of new migratory flows. 

Bosnia  and  Herzegovina  has  faced  a  significant  increase  of  arrivals.  Estimates  suggest  that 
since  January  2018,  over  45,000  refugees  and  migrants  have  entered  the  country.  This  has 
created  a  serious  challenge,  with  some  3,300  accommodated  in  official  centres  at  present. 
Since 2018, the Commission has been working with humanitarian partners and the authorities 
to  cover  the  basic  needs  of  refugees  and  migrants  and  to  help  the  country  strengthen  its 
migration  management  capacity,  allocating  €34  million  in  additional  EU  funding.  This  is 
supporting temporary reception centres, and access to food, basic services and protection for 
the most vulnerable, with over 3,500 people benefitting.  

15   Including access to healthcare and non-formal education, dedicated safe zones for unaccompanied minors, as 

well as training for operational staff. 

16   Nearly €40 million under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (for example on reception) and nearly 
€52 million under the Internal Security Fund to support visa policy, border control, and police cooperation. 
17   Member States of relocation could receive a lump sum of €6,000 per applicant, applying the amended Article 

18 of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund Regulation 516/2014. 

18   In  addition,  since  2007,  €216.1  million  has  been  provided  to  support  the  Western  Balkans  partners  on 

migration under regular financial assistance under the Instrument for Pre-Accession. 

8 

 
                                                 
As winter arrives, the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina need to swiftly identify suitable 
accommodation  facilities  for  the  refugees  and  migrants  stranded  in  the  country.  The  EU  is 
ready to assist in financing these additional facilities as long as they respect the internationally 
recognised standards, and in supporting the most affected local communities. 

 

Central Mediterranean route  

Libya and the Emergency Transit Mechanisms 

The  situation  in  Libya  remains  a  major  concern.  EU  action  to  protect  Libyan  internally 
displace persons, refugees and migrants has been framed by the work of the African Union-
European  Union-United  Nations  Taskforce.  After  violent  conflict  erupted  in  and  around 
Tripoli in April 2019, the Taskforce contributed to speeding up the evacuation of refugees and 
migrants  from  detention  centres  near  the  frontline  and  where  possible,  to  help  them  find 
safety outside Libya. 

The  conflict  in  and  around  Tripoli  led  to  hundreds  of  civilian  deaths  and  injuries  and  over 
150,000 were forced from their homes. Since then, a durable ceasefire has not been secured 
and despite steps towards a political settlement, the situation remains volatile.  

The conflict has had a particular impact on migrants and refugees, and in particular on almost 
3,300 people in detention facilities in conflict-affected areas. One of these centres, the Tajoura 
detention  centre,  was  hit  by  air  strikes,  causing  over  50  deaths.  When  the  482  remaining 
refugees  and  migrants  were  released,  they  sought  refuge  in  the  UNHCR  Gathering  and 
Departure  Facility  in  Tripoli.  Due  to  the  increased  arrivals,  the  Facility  exceeds  its  normal 
capacity, and transfers of substantial numbers of vulnerable persons from detention centres to 
the Facility have not been possible.  

The  EU’s  extensive  cooperation  programmes  in  Libya  (of  in  total  €467  million)  are 
continuing despite the security situation, and new programmes have been adopted in July by 
the EU Trust Fund for Africa.19 EU support to vulnerable persons affected by the conflict has 
been  accelerated.  This  includes  direct  emergency  assistance  as  well  as  protection  such  as 
medical  assistance  or  psycho-social  aid,  including  at  Libyan  disembarkation  points  and 
detention centres when access is possible. Around 185,000 non-food items and hygiene kits as 
well  as  medical  assistance  have  been  provided  to  refugees  and  vulnerable  migrants  as 
emergency  assistance.  At  the  end  of  September,  a  core  team  of  the  EU  integrated  border 
management  assistance  mission  in  Libya,  which  had  continued  operations  from  Tunis,  was 
also able to return to Tripoli. 

Evacuation from Libya has been a crucial lifeline. Since September 2017, over 4,000 people 
have  been  evacuated,  of  which  around  3,000  to  UNHCR’s  EU-funded  Emergency  Transit 
Mechanism (ETM) in Niger. These evacuations to the ETM have also been complemented by 
direct evacuations to Italy (808) and to the Emergency Transit Centre in Romania (303). Of 
the people evacuated to Niger, 1,856 persons have been resettled so far.20 The Niger facility is 
now being complemented by a new ETM in Rwanda, and Rwanda has so far agreed to host a 
maximum  of  500  people  at  any  given  time.  Almost  200  people  have  been  evacuated  to 
Rwanda in  recent  weeks, with  more evacuations  planned in  the coming  months. A new EU 
support package for the Rwanda ETM is now being finalised.  

At the same time, the Niger authorities have reduced the ceiling to the operations of the ETM 
to its previous level, and as a result, it may not be able to take further evacuations for the rest 

19   These  programmes  will  reinforce  ongoing  actions  to  protect  and  assist  refugees  and  vulnerable  migrants 
especially  in  Libya,  to  improve  the  living  conditions  and  resilience  of  Libyans  and  to  foster  economic 
opportunities, labour migration and mobility in North African countries. 

20   Belgium,  Canada,  Finland,  France,  Germany,  Italy,  the  Netherlands,  Norway,  Sweden,  Switzerland,  the 
United Kingdom and the United States have all resettled from Libya and the Emergency Transit Mechanism. 

9 

 
                                                 
of this year. A major reason for this move is the slow pace of resettlements. It is therefore of 
paramount  importance  that  Member  States  increase  in  scale  and  accelerate  the  pace  of 
resettlements from the ETMs. 

Another  key  measure  is  EU  cooperation  on  voluntary  return.  Joint  action  with  the 
International  Organisation for Migration since November 2015 has substantially contributed 
to  the  return  of  more  than  49,000  migrants  from  Libya,21  and  provided  post-arrival  and 
reintegration assistance for over 76,000 returnees in their countries of origin. This work has 
also supported the rescue of over 23,000 migrants in the Nigerien desert. 

To  address  these  ongoing  challenges  the  African  Union-European  Union-United  Nations 
Taskforce to  address  the migrant  and  refugee situation in  Libya met at  political  level  in  the 
margins of the UN General Assembly, and identified a number of common priorities for the 
next steps.22 These include support for the displaced in Libya and for the registration efforts 
of  the  International  Organisation  for  Migration,  as  well  as  developing  further  evacuation 
options  and  keeping  up  the  pressure  to  end  the  current  system  of  arbitrary  detention.  Other 
areas  included  enhanced  reintegration  measures  and  communication  to  prevent  hazardous 
journeys.  

Support to Italy and Malta 

Since  2014,  Italy  has  been  supported  by  the  EU  with  nearly  €1  billion  funding  for  asylum, 
migration, security and border management.23 The EU has allocated €0.7 million emergency 
assistance  to  the  Italian  Ministry  of  Interior  and  UNHCR  in  July  2019  to  support  the 
humanitarian  evacuation  of  approximately  450  persons  from  Libya  and  Niger  to  Italy. 
Another  recent  example  is  a  €30  million  project  in  five  Italian  regions  to  address  the 
exploitation of migrant labour in agriculture and to help the integration of migrants into the 
regular  labour  market.  Support  has  also  come  through  expertise  from  EU  agencies  and 
Member States with in total 144 experts deployed by the European Border and Coast Guard 
Agency in 2019 and 180 by the European Asylum Support Office. This expertise remains an 
essential  part  of  the  EU  contribution  to  migration  management  and  preparedness  in  the 
Central Mediterranean and Member States need to maintain the required level of deployment.  
Financial  support  to  Malta  has  topped  €105  million  since  2014.24  The  most  significant  EU 
support to Malta has been in facilitating the relocation of disembarked migrants and refugees, 
and  close  to  €0.5  million  in  emergency  assistance  has  been  provided  to  the  International 
Organisation for Migration to help Malta with the relocation of up to 500 people. 

Temporary arrangements on disembarkation 

The  Commission’s  progress  report  in  March  highlighted  the  need  to  find  a  more  structured 
temporary solution on disembarkation after search and rescue operations.  

Disembarkation  events,  including  by  NGO  vessels,  in  the  Central  Mediterranean  clearly 
demonstrated  the  need  to  find  European  solutions  for  a  sustainable  approach  to  migration 
management,  based  on  solidarity,  common  responsibility  and  respect  of  fundamental  rights. 
Upon  requests  from  Member  States,  the  Commission  has  coordinated  ad  hoc  relocation 

21   Total voluntary returns from Libya, Niger, Mali, Mauritania and Djibouti add up to over 61,000. 
22   Joint  press  release  at  https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/67915/joint-press-release-

meeting-joint-au-eu-un-taskforce-address-migrant-and-refugee-situation_en. 

23   Asylum,  Migration  and  Integration  Fund  and  the  Internal  Security  Fund,  including  €275  million  in 

emergency assistance. 

24   This  amount  includes  an  allocation  of  €21  million  under  the  Asylum,  Migration  and  Integration  Fund  and 

€84 million under the Internal Security Fund National Programmes for the period 2014-2020. 

10 

 
                                                 
exercises  throughout  the  year.25  This  active  coordination  by  the  Commission  of  post 
disembarkation exercises, has helped also to facilitate disembarkation. These efforts built on 
the solidarity efforts of the receiving Member States,26 which participated voluntarily in these 
exercises, but also on the support of EU agencies, in particular the European Asylum Support 
Office,  under  the  coordination  of  the  Commission.  EU  funding  has  also  helped  support 
Member  States  with  ad  hoc  disembarkations  and  the  putting  in  place  of  the  appropriate 
procedures for the processing and the relocation of migrants. 

In parallel, the Commission has been actively encouraging and supporting the development of 
temporary  arrangements  for  disembarkation,  pending  the  agreement  on  a  long  term 
sustainable system in the reform of the European asylum system. Building on discussions held 
among  Member  States,  a  Council  Presidency  working  paper  was  presented  in  June  on 
guidelines on temporary arrangements for disembarkation. A series of discussions in Helsinki 
and  Paris  in  July  paved  the  way  for  a  ministerial  meeting  in  Malta  on  23  September.  This 
brought  together  Ministers  from  Italy,  France,  Malta  and  Germany  in  the  presence  of  the 
Finnish  Presidency  and  the  Commission,  and  set  out  the  contours  of  a  predictable  and 
structural set of arrangements. This was subsequently discussed with all Member States at the 
Home  Affairs  Council  on  8  October,  where  the  Commission  encouraged  as  many  Member 
States  as  possible  to  subscribe  to  this  solidarity  effort.  Following  constructive  discussions 
amongst  ministers,  a  technical  discussion  was  organised  by  the  Commission  with  those 
Member States participating in relocation in order to discuss existing practices and workflows 
applied  to  voluntary  relocation  exercises  coordinated  by  the  Commission  and  supported  by 
EU  agencies.  The  Commission  remains  committed  to  work  with  Member  States  towards  a 
sustainable solution for disembarkation following search and rescue in the Mediterranean.  

Such  temporary  arrangements  demonstrate  that  Member  States  are  willing  to  engage  in 
tangible solidarity and could serve as an inspiration for addressing flows in other parts of the 
Mediterranean. 

 

Western Mediterranean route 

Support to Morocco  

Morocco has been facing heavy migration pressure in recent years, as a country of transit and 
also destination. To help it address the situation, the EU’s cooperation portfolio on migration 
now  amounts  to  €238  million,  including  support  from  the  EU  Trust  Fund  for  Africa.  This 
support, in  close cooperation with  Spain,  has made  a major contribution to  the  reduction in 
arrivals  via  the  Western  Mediterranean,  addressing  irregular  migration  and  dismantling 
criminal networks, as well as supporting the vulnerable. The focus of EU support has been to 
strengthen  Morocco’s  capacity  to  manage  flows  within  and  from  its  territory,  for  example 
through Morocco’s National Strategy on Migration and Asylum, backed up with institutional 
support  on  migration  management,  capacity  building  and  border  management.  Vulnerable 
migrants and refugees have been provided with protection and access to legal assistance, with 
a particular focus on the rights of unaccompanied minors; voluntary return and reintegration 
has  also  been  funded.  Morocco  is  also  an  important  partner  in  the  development  of  legal 
migration,  working  on  pilot  schemes  where  training  of  skilled  labour  in  Morocco  can  be 
linked to labour needs in Member States. The experience of the programmes now under way 

25   As  of  7  October,  in  the  14  disembarkation  events  coordinated  by  the  Commission,  participating  Member 

States pledged to redistribute 1,187 migrants, of which 368 have already been relocated. 

26   Since  2018,  Belgium,  Finland,  France,  Germany,  Ireland,  Italy,  Lithuania,  Luxembourg,  Malta,  the 
Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and Spain, have participated in at least one of the ad hoc 
relocation exercises. Norway also participated. 

11 

 
                                                 
will  feed  into  the  development  of  new  programmes  as  part  of  a  wider  relationship  on 
migration issues over the long term. 
As an important step in the relaunch of relations between Morocco and the EU, the 14th EU-
Morocco Association Council in June included mobility and migration as a key area for future 
cooperation. In addition, the improved bilateral climate has resulted in the resumption of the 
dialogue  on  migration  and  mobility  within  the  framework  of  the  Mobility  Partnership.  This 
dialogue has been backed up by a series of recent high level meetings and expert contacts in 
both Brussels and Morocco. 

Support to Spain  

Spain is one of the main beneficiaries of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and the 
Internal Security Fund national programmes, with a total allocation of €737 million for 2014-
2020.  Funding  priorities  include  the  strengthening  of  the  Asylum  Office  and  the  reception 
system, the integration of non-nationals, the deployment of reinforced equipment and forces 
at  borders,  and  return.  In  addition,  emergency  support  of  more  than  €42  million  has  been 
awarded  since  2018  to  help  the  national  authorities  manage  the  migration  flow  on  the 
Southern  coast,  including  with  new  local  registration  centres,  and  the  reinforcement  of  the 
Guardia Civil and the police, as well as to provide support to migrants upon  their arrival. In 
addition, 240 experts have been deployed by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency 
in 2019. 

 

Addressing the root causes of irregular migration  

In  the  medium  to  long  term,  it  is  essential  to  work  with  partner  countries  on  resilience  and 
stability, and on creating jobs and opportunities for both migrants and refugees as well as for 
host communities.  

In North Africa, programmes have sought to develop both social infrastructure and economic 
opportunities.  For  example,  two  community  stabilisation  programmes  in  more  than  50 
municipalities in Libya have helped to improve the access of more than 1.7 million people to 
basic  services,  and  helped  2,500  young  entrepreneurs  with  job  training  programmes.  In 
Tunisia,  the  EU  has  invested  over  €200  million  in  programmes  supporting  job  creation  and 
economic development, with over 60,000 young people benefitting from micro-credit loans to 
support small business development. EU support through bilateral cooperation with Morocco 
has reached €1 billion since 2014, supporting job creation and the business environment.27 

In the Horn of Africa and the Sahel and Lake Chad, the focus is on supporting economic and 
employment  opportunities,  as  well  as  resilience  of  communities,  governance  and  improved 
migration management. In the Sahel and Lake Chad window, there has been special attention 
for smuggling and security. In the Horn, programmes have in many cases targeted the large 
populations of refugees and internally displaced persons in the region; new programmes were 
approved in May 2019, including support to health and education in South Sudan, and support 
to vulnerable communities and displaced populations in Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Great Lakes 
region. 

One example of action in Asia is additional €27 million programme to support Afghanistan to 
create economic opportunities in cities with a high influx of displaced people.  

The EU’s External Investment Plan will extend further support to livelihoods and economies 
in Sub-Saharan Africa and the EU Neighbourhood, thus helping also to tackle the root causes 
of irregular migration. To date, more than €4 billion has been approved under the Plan (€1.54 

27   Morocco’s ranking in the World Bank’s “doing business index” improved from 128th in 2010 to 60th in 2018. 

12 

 
                                                 
billion for 28 guarantee programmes and €2.6 billion for 121 approved blending projects28). 
The guarantees should unlock up to €17.5 billion in investment, covering areas such as access 
to  finance  for  micro,  small  and  medium  enterprises,  energy  and  connectivity,  cities, 
agriculture, and digital. Approved blending projects are expected to unlock nearly €24 billion, 
and by 2020 the Plan is expected to meet its objective to leverage total investments of more 
than €44 billion.  

The EU Trust Fund for Africa 

Since  its  establishment  in  2015,  the  Trust  Fund  has  supported  life-saving  evacuations, 
improved  migration  management,  helped  tackle  smuggling  networks  and  addressed  the  root 
causes of irregular migration in 26 African countries. The Fund has totalled some €4.5 billion, 
some  €4  billion  from  EU  funds  and  €528  million  from  Member  States,  Switzerland  and 
Norway. The Trust Fund has proved to be a flexible tool which has enabled a swift response 
to emerging needs, with 210 programmes adopted so far.  

Key actions to date supported by the Trust Fund include the following: 

-  

-  

-  

-  

-  

-  

Helping  people  to  leave  Libya,  contributing  to  around  49,000  assisted  voluntary 
returns and over 4,000 evacuations so far;  
Support  to  migration  management  efforts  of  Libya,  Morocco  and  Tunisia  in  their 
efforts  to  deal  with  irregular  migration,  fight  against  human  trafficking  and  migrant 
smuggling; 
In The Gambia, 25,000 persons benefit from a programme focusing on areas such as 
social  cohesion  and  employment  in  renewable  energy,  eco-tourism  and  modern 
farming; 
A programme in Côte d’Ivoire, under discussion with the authorities, will assist with 
modernising  the  civil  registry  system  and  will  contribute  to  put  in  place  a  national 
secure civil registry system; 
In  the  Horn  of  Africa,  support  has  focused  on  providing  food  security  –  with  more 
than  300,000  people  benefitting  from  support  to  maintain  livestock  –  and  help  to 
employment,  with  the  professional  skills  of  over  30,000  people  developed  through 
training; 
A programme in South Sudan is providing more than 28,000 primary school teachers 
in almost 2,500 schools with salary supplements that encourage the teachers to remain 
in service and increase their attendance, thus helping to keep children in school. 

The Trust Fund has therefore been able to respond to many essential needs. Funds in all three 
programme  windows  (North  Africa,  Horn  of  Africa,  Sahel  and  Lake  Chad)  will  start  to  be 
exhausted at the end of this year. For these crucial programmes to continue, it will therefore 
be essential to replenish the Trust Fund for 2020. This will necessarily include contributions 
from Member States and the Commission will therefore identify precise needs. 

 

EU efforts assisting refugees and migrants worldwide 

Support to refugees, migrants and the internally displaced is one of the core results of the EU 
humanitarian and development action worldwide. These provide immediate help to the people 
concerned, offer solidarity with the efforts of host countries, and also bring more stability to 
migratory  movements.  As  well  as  the  work  in  Turkey,  there  are  many  examples  worldwide 
where the EU is bringing urgent and direct help to refugees. 

28   The  guarantees  aim  to  leverage  additional  financing,  in  particular  from  the  private  sector,  as  they  reduce  
the  risk  for  private  investment  and  absorb  part  of  potential  losses  incurred  by  financiers  and  investors. 
Blending is the joining of grant money with other more commercial sources of financing.  

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
The crisis in Venezuela has triggered a huge displacement, with over 4 million people leaving 
the  country  so  far.  The  EU  has  mobilised  nearly  €150  million  both  inside  and  outside 
Venezuela. In the region, emergency relief has benefited more than 1.3 million people, with 
extra support to the capacities of host countries and for education. A Conference in Brussels 
in  October  2019  will  be  an  opportunity  for  the  international  community  to  bring  further 
support to countries in the region hosting Venezuelan refugees.29  

The Horn of Africa hosts a fifth of the world’s refugees and displaced populations, and has 
been a focus of EU support in recent years. New projects this year include support to refugees 
in  Ethiopia,  Sudan  and  South  Sudan,  as  well  as  over  €67  million  in  direct  humanitarian 
support.  

August 2019 has marked the second anniversary of the massive influx of Rohingya refugees 
from Myanmar to Bangladesh. The almost one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are 
entirely  reliant  on  international  assistance.  Since  2017  EU  funding  to  meet  this  crisis  has 
reached  almost  €140  million,  focused  on  the  essential  needs  of  refugees  and  their  host 
communities,  increasingly  taking  a  development  approach,  and  also  taking  into  account  the 
specific risks of natural disasters. 

4.  FIGHT AGAINST SMUGGLING, IMPROVING RETURN AND READMISSION 

 

Fighting migrant smuggling 

The implementation of the EU Action Plan against migrant smuggling and the complementary 
set of operational measures adopted by the Council in December 2018 have continued to have 
an impact against migrant smuggling both inside the EU and beyond.30 

Europol’s European Migrant Smuggling Centre now provides an effective hub for action. Its 
main  task  is  supporting  police  and  border  authorities  to  coordinate  highly  complex  cross-
border  anti-smuggling  operations.  It  was  complemented  in  July  2019  with  a  Joint  Liaison 
Task Force on Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking in Human Beings, so liaison officers from 
EU Member States can work even closer on common investigations. During the first 9 months 
of  2019,  the  Centre  supported  7 Joint  and  Common  Action  Days,  leading  to  474  arrests,  as 
well as 75 priority criminal cases. Common training curricula are also being developed by the 
EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training. On 1 October 2019, the second meeting between 
the  Commission’s  services  and  civil  society  organisations  took  place  to  discuss  the 
implementation of the EU legislation on migrant smuggling on the ground.31 

Close cooperation with third countries remains key to prevent migrant smuggling. One step 
in  this respect  are information  and awareness  raising campaigns, so far supported with  over 
€27  million  and  with  a  new  programme  under  way.32  Diaspora  communities  such  as  the 
Senegalese  diaspora  in  several  EU  Member  States  have  been  engaged  in  this  work.33  A 
dedicated  Working  Group  has  been  set  up  on  information  and  awareness-raising  campaigns 
under  the  European  Migration  Network,  where  Member  States,  EU  institutions  and 
International Organisations exchange best practices and ensure closer coordination. 

29   Jointly organised by the EU, the United Nations Refugee Agency UNHCR and the International Organisation 

for Migration on 28-29 October. 

30  https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/12/06/migrant-smuggling-council-approves-a-

set-of-measures-to-fight-smuggling-networks/  

31   As a follow up to the evaluation of the Facilitators Package (SWD(2017)120), the Commission committed to 
engage  with  relevant  stakeholders  on  the  implementation  of  the  legislation,  in  particular  as  regards  non 
criminalisation of humanitarian assistance to migrants. 

32   The 

can 
tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/amif-2019-ag-call-04. 

proposals 

found 

call 

for 

at: 

be 

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-

33   Belgium, Germany, Spain, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal. 

14 

 
                                                 
This work is complemented by law enforcement cooperation to tackle the networks engaged 
in  migrant  smuggling  through  Common  Operational  Partnerships.  In  Niger,  a  Joint 
Investigation Team bringing together Nigerien, French and Spanish authorities has led so far 
to  202  judicial  cases.  Senegal  and  Guinea  will  shortly  launch  two  projects,  covering  both 
migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings. In Senegal, the focus is on cooperation 
between  ministries  and  agencies.  In  Guinea,  the  project  will  also  pay  attention  to  border 
management and travel documents. Another key measure is EU cooperation with the United 
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. A regional programme was recently launched under the 
EU Trust Fund for Africa to contribute to dismantling criminal networks operating in North 
Africa and involved in both migrant smuggling and human trafficking. 

Tackling migrant smuggling is also a key part of the work of Common Security and Defence 
Policy missions and operations, such as Operation Sophia (EUNAVFOR Med) and the EU 
integrated  border  management  assistance  mission  in  Libya  (EUBAM  Libya).  The  Crime 
Information  Cell  within  Operation  Sophia  proved  particularly  useful  in  developing  a  joint 
operational awareness between the EU Agencies involved and Operation Sophia itself. While 
the further extension of the Operation’s mandate until 31 March 2020 is to be welcomed, the 
ongoing  temporary  suspension  of  the  deployment  of  its  naval  assets  since  March  2019  has 
affected  the  Operation's  ability  to  fulfil  its  mandate  in  all  its  aspects.  EUBAM  Libya  is 
working with Libya's judicial system and coordination mechanisms, targeting in particular the 
need  to  have  control  of  its  borders  to  disrupt  organised  criminal  networks,  including  of 
migrant smugglers.  

 

Return and Readmission 

According  to  data  reported  to  Eurostat,  478,155  persons  illegally  staying  in  the  EU  were 
ordered  to  leave  in  2018,  and  170,380  were  effectively  returned  to  a  third  country.  This 
resulted  in  a  return  rate  of  36%  for  2018,  a  slight  reduction  from  2017  (return  rate  of 
37%).34 35 Some countries whose nationals receive a substantial number of return decisions36 
have very low return rates, such as 1.7 % for Mali and 2.8% for Guinea. 

More work needed on return and readmission 
The 23 readmission agreements and arrangements in force37 – supported by EU-funded case 
management  tools,  capacity  building  projects  for  third  countries  and  exchanges  of  liaison 
officers  –  bring  benefits  in  terms  of  a  better  level  of  cooperation  and  more  effective 
operational  flows,  and  further  agreements  and  arrangements  are  being  explored  as  part  of 
developing  relations  with  partners.  However,  results  remain  disappointing  in  terms  of  the 
number of persons returned.  

Increasing returns requires additional efforts both in Member States and with third countries. 
In  the  first  place,  Member  States’  return  systems  need  to  be  geared  to  ensure  that  those 
receiving  return  decisions  are  available  for  effective  return.  Key  measures  include  actively 
monitoring the situation of third-country nationals during the whole return procedure and their 
compliance  with  the  obligation  to  return,  to  prevent  absconding  and  secondary  movements; 

34   The  number of returns to Western Balkan countries,  who in  general have  very  good return rates,  has been 
decreasing in the total. The rate of return excluding the Western Balkans saw an increase, from 29 % in 2017 
to 32% in 2018. 

35   Average return rates among Member States vary significantly. This variation does not necessarily reflect the 
effectiveness of return systems, but may also be due to different approaches in collecting and processing data. 
Aside  from  internal  factors,  the  migration  mix  can  have  a  significant  influence  given  the  diverse  levels  of 
cooperation also on return and readmission between third countries of origin. 

36   The  third  countries  with  the  highest  number  of  nationals  (over  10,000  per  year)  who  were  issued  a  return 
decision  remained  largely  the  same  in  2018:  Morocco,  Ukraine,  Albania,  Afghanistan,  Algeria,  Iraq, 
Pakistan, Guinea, Mali, Tunisia, India and Nigeria. 

37   The negotiation of a 24th with Belarus has been concluded but its signature has not yet taken place. 

15 

 
                                                 
and  reinforcing  help  to  cooperative  third-country  nationals  willing  to  depart  voluntarily.  It 
also  requires  completion  of  negotiations  on  the  recast  Return  Directive38  which  have 
advanced, and the Council adopted a partial general approach on 7 June 2019. The European 
Parliament  did  not  adopt  a  position  on  this  file  during  the  2014-2019  term.  Pending  the 
approval of this recast, however, Member States may already enhance their performances on 
return and readmission by following up on the Renewed Action Plan on Return presented by 
the Commission in 2017.39 

Then Member States should use the readmission instruments and all tools put in place to the 
full. The Commission will continue to support Member States in the  implementation of the 
return  agreements  and  pursue  negotiations  for  further  instruments,  whenever  acting  at  EU 
level brings added value to the process.  

Both  the  negotiation  and  implementation  of  readmission  instruments  rely  on  a  strong  and 
consistent message that the EU and its Member States have the expectation of cooperation by 
the third county concerned. This can mean the application of more broad policy leverage. In 
this respect, the revised EU Visa Code, in force from February 2020, will be one important 
additional  tool,  providing  the  EU  the  possibility  to  adopt  restrictive  visa  measures  for  third 
countries  which  do  not  cooperate  sufficiently  on  readmission.  Additional  incentives  and 
leverages should be sought also in other policy areas, on a case by case approach.  

It  will  also  be  crucial  to  ensure  full  operationalisation  of  the  European  Border  and  Coast 
Guard  Agency’s  expanded  mandate  in  the  area  of  return.40  Along  with  the  substantial 
reinforcement of the Agency, strengthening its return capacities to further increase the support 
to Member States activities, with a pool of monitors, escorts and return specialists, should in 
the coming years help to make EU return policy more effective. This will also be one of the 
roles of the new European Network of Immigration Liaison Officers.41  

5.  REINFORCED EXTERNAL BORDER MANAGEMENT  

Since  2016,  the  Commission,  together  with  the  European  Border  and  Coast  Guard  Agency 
and  Member  States,  has  continued  work  on  the  implementation  of  the  Regulation  on  the 
European  Border  and  Coast  Guard  in  view  of  pursuing  a  European  integrated  border 
management as a shared responsibility between the Agency and the national authorities. One 
important aspect has been the new Agency’s work in ensuring that Union standards for border 
management  are  guaranteed  at  all  external  borders,  including  through  the  creation  of  a 
complaints mechanism handled by an independent Fundamental Rights Officer.  

The  European  Border  and  Coast  Guard  Agency  is  today  at  the  core  of  the  EU’s  work  to 
support  Member  States  in  protecting  the  external  borders.  In  terms  of  practical  response,  a 
rapid reaction pool composed of 1,500 border guards and other relevant staff members was 
set up along with a rapid reaction equipment pool for deployment in case of an emergency at 
the  external  borders  of  any  Member  State.  The  Agency  has  also  continued  providing 
operational  assistance  to  Member  States  along  the  main  migratory  routes  both  at  external 
maritime  and  land  borders,  including  on  return.  The  overall  deployment  as  of  mid-October 

38   COM(2018) 634 final. 
39   COM(2017) 200 final.   
40   The mandate allows the Agency to support Member States at all stages of the return process, including for 
example by identifying non-EU nationals without the no right to stay, acquiring valid travel documents from 
third countries and providing support for voluntary departure and reintegration in the country of origin. 

41   Regulation  (EU)  2019/1240  which  entered  into  force  on  24  August  2019.  This  establishes  a  coordination 
mechanism at EU level through a Steering Board and an Information Exchange Platform. It also provides for 
the possibility for common actions and capacity building activities to be financed through EU funds. 

16 

 
                                                 
2019  included  close  to  1,400  border  guards  and  other  experts  as  well  as  equipment.42  In 
addition, since 2016, the Agency also uses space-based observations through the Copernicus 
Programme to support the surveillance of EU borders. 

In addition, the Agency is tasked with carrying out yearly vulnerability assessments to assess 
the capacity and readiness of the Member States to face threats and challenges at the external 
borders.  This  includes  an  assessment  of  the  equipment,  infrastructure,  budget  and  financial 
resources of Member States as well as their contingency plans to address possible crises at the 
external  borders.  The  Agency  issues  recommendations  regarding  Member  States’  border 
control  capacity.  To  that  end  the  Agency  has  completed  such  assessments  for  all  Member 
States in three annual cycles in 2017, 2018 and 2019, and recommended concrete measures on 
the  vulnerabilities  identified  in  a  total  of  131  instances  requiring  the  Member  States 
concerned  to  take  the  appropriate  actions  such  as  increasing  their  respective  capacities  or 
adapting the deployment of human resources and equipment, as well as their use in order to 
mitigate  those  vulnerabilities.  The  Agency  follows  up  closely  the  implementation  of  these 
recommendations.  

Another key aspect of the 2016 Regulation’s has been to enable processing of personal data 
collected  by  the  Agency  for  the  purpose  of  risk  analysis  and  for  transmission  to  the  EU 
agencies and the Member States.43 Finally, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency has 
also been providing support to third countries and contributing to the referral of third country 
nationals in need of international protection, while ensuring the internal security of the EU. 

The  Commission  has  negotiated  status  agreements  with  five  Western  Balkan  countries  to 
enable  deployments  with  executive  powers  on  their  territory.  The  agreement  with  Albania 
entered into force on 1 May 2019 and teams of border guards have been deployed swiftly at 
the Albanian-Greek border. The agreement with Montenegro was signed on 7 October and is 
now subject to the European Parliament’s consent. Other agreements have been initialled with 
North  Macedonia  (July  2018),  Serbia  (September  2018)  and  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina 
(January 2019) and await signature.  

In  March  2019,  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  reached  agreement  on  a  further 
strengthened  and  fully  equipped  European  Border  and  Coast  Guard,  and  the  new 
Regulation  is  expected  to  enter  into  force  in  early  December  2019.  Key  operational  new 
elements will be the setting up of the standing corps of  10,000 operational  staff exercising 
executive powers, and development  of the Agency’s  own  equipment  pool.  The value of the 
new  legislation  has  also  been  underlined  by  the  continued  difficulty  in  securing  sufficient 
support  by  Member  States  to  the  calls  from  the  Agency  for  expertise  to  be  provided  to 
essential operations on borders including in Greece, Spain and Bulgaria. The recurring lack of 
sufficient pledges from Member States led to internal redeployment  of human resources and 
technical  equipment  by  the  host  Member  States  financed  by  the  Agency.  This  may 
temporarily compensate for the actual gaps, but is not in line with the shared responsibility of 
the competent authorities of all Member States and the Agency, for an effective protection of 
the external borders. 

The  Agency  will  also  have  a  stronger  mandate  on  returns  and  will  cooperate  more  closely 
with  non-EU  countries,  including  those  beyond  the  EU’s  immediate  neighbourhood.  This 
reinforcement  will  give  the  Agency  the  right  level  of  ambition  to  respond  to  the  common 
challenges facing Europe in managing migration and its external borders.  

42   Offshore patrol vessels, 18 coastal patrol vessels/boats, 5 aircraft; 4 helicopters, 103 patrol cars,  14 mobile 

offices and other light equipment. 

43  Personal data is anonymised in the final risk analysis products.  

17 

 
                                                 
A number of enhanced border control tools are being taken forward following the adoption 
of  rules  on  the  interoperability  of  information  systems  and  key  new  information  systems.44 
This will close information gaps and blind spots by helping to detect multiple identities and 
counter  identity  fraud.  The  Commission  is  supporting  Member  States  in  implementation, 
aiming to ensure that full interoperability of EU information systems for security, border and 
migration management  is  under way by the end  of 2020. The swift conclusion of all linked 
legislation  by  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  will  be  essential  to  deliver  an 
effective  system  closing  information  gaps  and  ensuring  best  use  of  these  key  tools.  This 
includes ongoing negotiations on the Visa Information System revision, Eurodac and related 
amendments for the European Travel Information and Authorisation System. 

6.  THE  LEGAL  FRAMEWORK,  RESETTLEMENT,  VISA  AND  LEGAL 

PATHWAYS  

The need for a reformed Common European Asylum System was one of the clearest lessons 
of the 2015 crisis, in particular, the need to find a better way for allocating responsibility for 
asylum claims to the Member State of first entry in a situation of mass arrivals. Discussions 
around the Dublin reform, proposed in 2016 along with six other proposals45 overhauling the 
asylum  legislation,  have  explored  the  different  ways  Member  States  could  demonstrate 
solidarity in case of need. There was real progress towards a preliminary agreement on five of 
the seven proposals.  But a majority of Member  States insisted on a package  approach, so  a 
way  forward  needs  to  be  found  on  key  elements  of  the  Dublin  Regulation  and  the  Asylum 
Procedure Regulation. The European Parliament has adopted a full set of mandates.  

Resettlement is a safe and legal alternative to irregular and dangerous journeys for refugees, 
and a demonstration of European solidarity with non-EU countries hosting large numbers of 
persons  fleeing  war  or  persecution.  Until  the  adoption  of  the  proposed  Union  Resettlement 
Framework, temporary schemes are in place. Since 2015, almost 63,000 refugees have been 
resettled.  Under  the  ongoing  EU  resettlement  scheme,  20  Member  States  have  pledged  to 
provide  more  than  50,000  places  to  those  most  in  need.  By  7  October  2019,  39,000 
resettlements  (78%  of  the  total  pledged)  have  taken  place.  Member  States  need  to  maintain 
the momentum and ensure that the remaining pledges are filled before the scheme expires at 
the  end  of  the  year.  Member  States  have  responded  to  the  Commission’s  call  to  continue 
resettling  in  2020  by  already  pledging  around  30,000  resettlement  places  for  2020.  This 
confirms Member States’ continued commitment to resettlement as a safe and legal pathway 
into the EU. 

Turkey,  Lebanon  and  Jordan  remain  the  three  countries  with  the  highest  resettlements  to 
Europe;  efforts  also  focus  on  countries  of  the  Central  Mediterranean  route,  notably  Egypt, 
Niger/Libya and Chad. Resettlements from the Emergency Transit Mechanisms in Niger and 
Rwanda should be a particular priority. 

The newly revised Visa Code completes the reform of the rules on Schengen Visas, which the 
Commission  initiated in  March 2018, facilitating the process  for issuing  visas for bona  fide 

44   Regulation (EU) 2019/817 (20.5.2019) and Regulation (EU) 2019/818 (20.5.2019). Key new systems are the 
EU Entry/Exit System and European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). Also essential 
are the measures to reinforce the Schengen Information System and to extend the European Criminal Records 
Information System to third-country nationals. 

45   The  proposals  are  for  revision  of  1)  the  Dublin  Regulation  (defining  the  Member  State  responsible  for  an 
asylum  seeker),  2)  the  Eurodac  Regulation  (extending  the  scope  of  the  fingerprint  database  of  asylum 
seekers), 3) the EU Asylum Agency Regulation (agency delivering operational support to Member States), 4) 
the  Asylum  Procedure  Regulation  (replacing  the  current  Directive  and  streamlining  rules),  5)  the 
Qualification  Regulation  (setting  the  criteria  for  obtaining  refugee  status),  6)  the  Reception  Conditions 
Directive (guaranteeing minimal standards for hosting asylum seekers), and 7) the Resettlement Framework 
Regulation (a new instrument establishing a legal pathway for persons in need of protection). 

18 

 
                                                 
travellers  or  short  stays,  whilst  strengthening  security  standards  and  reducing  irregular 
migration.  This  would  be  complemented  by  swift  agreement  between  the  European 
Parliament  and  the  Council  on  the  Commission’s  proposal  to  upgrade  the  Visa  Information 
System.46  

Legal  migration  policy  and  instruments,  in  particular  to  attract  talent  from  outside  the  EU, 
have  undergone  significant  developments  in  recent  years.  This  has  had  a  real  impact:  for 
example,  the  2016  reform  of  the  immigration  rules  for  students,  researchers,  trainees  and 
volunteers helped the number of third-country nationals coming to the EU to study rise from 
just  under  200,000  in  2011  to  320,000  in  2018.47  Regrettably,  the  negotiations  on  the 
proposed  reform  to  make  the  EU  Blue  Card  more  attractive  and  enhance  the  EU’s 
competitiveness have stalled. In parallel, the framework on legal migration at EU level  as a 
whole has been assessed through a comprehensive evaluation (‘fitness check’).48 The results 
will feed into the ongoing reflection on the next steps.  

In parallel, concrete progress in this area has been ensured through the development of legal 
migration  pilot  projects,  designed  by  Member  States  jointly  with  key  partner  countries  of 
origin and transit, and supported by the Commission. These aim to match new skills for third-
country nationals with labour market needs in the EU. Five pilot projects on legal migration 
are  currently  being  implemented  with  EU  funding,  to  implement  circular  and  long-term 
mobility  schemes  for  young  graduates  and  workers  from  selected  partner  countries  (Egypt, 
Morocco, Nigeria and Tunisia). Beyond the benefits that these pilot projects can directly bring 
to  third  countries  and  to  the  migrants  themselves,  they  can  also  further  incentivise  partner 
countries’  engagement  in  effective  migration  management.  The  Commission  therefore 
continues  to  encourage  Member  States  to  continue  to  develop  pilot  projects,  extending  the 
geographical focus beyond North Africa (which has been the main focus to date). 

The  Commission  has  significantly  increased  its  support  to  Member  States  and  all  relevant 
stakeholders  in  the  field  of  integration  through  funding,  policy  coordination  and  promoting 
exchanges of experiences and practices. Since the launch of the Action Plan on Integration in 
2016,  a  wide  range  of  actions  has  been  put  in  place  in  different  fields:  education,  labour 
market  integration,  facilitating  access  to  basic  services,  and  promoting  participation.  In  the 
area  of  labour  market  integration,  the  Commission  has  developed  a  skills  profiling  tool  for 
third  country  nationals49  and  has  worked  closely  with  social  and  economic  partners  to 
implement the European Partnership for Integration to enhance labour market integration of 
refugees,50  with  several  actions  and  initiatives  launched  in  many  Member  States,  as  well  as 
with the private sector through the “Employers together for integration” initiative.51  

The  Commission  has  also  increased  its  support  to  local  and  regional  authorities,  in  the 
forefront of the integration of migrants in our communities. Eight large networks of cities and 
regions  have  recently  been  launched  to  work  on  integration.  The  Commission  also  joined 
forces with the Committee of the Regions, who launched the initiative Cities and Regions for 

46   The  database  containing  information  on  visa  applications  and  decisions  will  be  strengthened  by  more 
effective background checks on visa applicants and by closing information gaps through better information 
exchange. Negotiations on the Visa Information System are advanced, with trilogues to start shortly. 

47   First permits issued for study  reasons by the Member States covered under the previous Students Directive 
and  the  current  Students  and  Researchers  Directive,  therefore  without  Denmark,  Ireland  and  the  United 
Kingdom. 

48   https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/legal-migration/fitness-check_en. 
49   https://ec.europa.eu/migrantskills/#/. 
50   The Partnership was signed in December 2017 between the Commission and social and economic partners to 
work  closely  together  to  promote  the  labour  market  integration  of  refugees.  https://ec.europa.eu/home-
affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/e-library/documents/policies/legal-
migration/integration/docs/20171220_european_partnership_for_integration_en.pdf. 

51   https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/legal-migration/european-dialogue-skills-and-

migration/integration-pact_en.  

19 

 
                                                 
Integration  of  Migrants,  a  platform  for  European  mayors  and  regional  leaders  to  exchange 
positive  examples.  It  has  also  stepped  up  support  to  Member  States  through  the  European 
Integration  Network  by  launching  three  mutual  assistance  projects,  to  encourage  mutual 
support between Member States to put in place a new integration policy or programme.  

7.  CONCLUSION  

This report has set out the continued efforts of the EU to address the challenge of migration 
since the start of the crisis in 2015. Not only has the EU been able to manage flows, reduce 
arrivals  and  save  lives,  its  comprehensive  approach  has  put  in  place  new  tools,  as  well  as 
proof of a readiness to show solidarity and responsibility while delivering practical support on 
the  ground.  The  EU  is  continuing  to  bring  protection  to  migrants  and  refugees,  to  help 
Member  States  under  the  most  pressure,  to  build  a  strong  external  border,  and  to  work  in 
depth  with  partners  worldwide.  All  this  work  has  made  the  foundations  of  EU  migration 
policy much stronger than when the crisis broke in 2015.  

The EU has provided an indispensable added value in addressing the migration challenge. The 
operational  support  provided  to  Member  States,  in  particular  by  the  European  Border  and 
Coast Guard Agency, the European Asylum Support Office and Europol, is integral to border 
security and return, the management of migration and asylum, as well as to the fight against 
migrant  smuggling.  It  is  a  tangible  form  of  solidarity  which  brings  together  European  and 
national  efforts,  building  confidence  and  trust.  It  is  therefore  crucial  that  Member  States  do 
not allow for any shortage in the provision of experts to the work of the Agencies. 

Funding  has  been  one  of  the  major  tools  to  deliver  not  only  EU  policies,  but  also  EU 
solidarity.  This  is  also  reflected  in  the  Commission’s  proposals  for  the  next  Multiannual 
Financial Framework. It is proposed to almost triple funding devoted to migration and border 
management inside the EU, and a new combined external funding instrument which targets a 
tenth of the spending for migration purposes, and would also include a flexible cushion to be 
mobilised  in  case  of  emerging  needs.  Sufficient  EU  funding  will  remain  essential,  both  to 
meet immediate humanitarian imperatives and to build a strong migration infrastructure over 
the long term. As the EU moves from one multi-annual funding period to another, continuity 
in the delivery on the ground will also be key, so that the progress made so far is not lost, not 
least  in  the  framework  of  crucial  programmes  under  the  Trust  Funds.  The  replenishment  of 
the EU Trust Fund for Africa in 2020 will therefore be key. 

Yet,  at  the  same  time,  lives  continue  to  be  lost  at  sea  and  ad  hoc  solutions  are  clearly 
unsustainable. The risk of extra migratory pressure remains, from both short-term instability 
and longer term trends such as demography and climate change. Adequate legal pathways and 
integration  remain  a  challenge.  Returns,  readmission  and  reintegration  of  those  who  do  not 
need protection also  require more work. This  makes it as important  as ever to  complete the 
path to a sustainable long-term EU system to better manage migration in all its aspects. This 
requires  the  work  so  far  to  be  taken  forward  in  terms  of  operational  and  financial  support, 
completing and implementing the legislative framework, and in deepening partnerships with 
third countries. The way ahead, notably on the legislative reform, needs to be based on more 
solidarity and willingness to compromise by all. 

Whilst  it is  crucial for  temporary arrangements on disembarkation to  be put  in  place with 
the  backing  of  a  critical  mass  of  Member  States,  work  also  needs  to  speed  up  to  secure  a 
complete  and  sustainable  EU  legal  framework  for  migration  and  asylum.  Whilst  some 
progress has been made, the comprehensive reform of the Common European Asylum System 
is  still  pending.  A  common  approach  to  securing  a  fair  and  durable  asylum  system  will  be 
needed to ensure that the EU can react to future demands in a way which ensures efficiency 
and reflects our values.    

20 

 
Migration has climbed up the priorities for EU relations with our partners as it has gained in 
significance  for  EU  citizens.  This  now  needs  to  be  fully  integrated  into  deepening 
partnerships with third countries, to become a fully-fledged part of long-lasting relationships 
able to include areas like legal migration, the fight against smuggling and readmission.  

In addition, a fully-functioning Schengen system is essential to the EU and the EU economy. 
We need to continue to build the strength of the system and to build trust in order to return to 
a Schengen area without internal borders.  

The  last  four  years  of  policy  delivery  showed  that  the  EU  was  capable  of  responding  to 
unforeseen  circumstances,  finding  common  solutions  and  working  together  to  bring  real 
results.  Not  all  the  work  is  complete.  The  situation  remains  fragile  as  shown  by  the  recent 
increase  in  arrivals  through  the  Eastern  Mediterranean  and  renewed  armed  hostilities  in  the 
north-east of Syria that risk to further undermine the stability of the whole region, giving no 
cause for complacency. But the right basis is now in place in order to complete the work of 
putting  in  place  a  strong  and  effective  European  migration  and  asylum  system,  respecting 
solidarity and responsibility and delivering results. 

21