Debate: Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund - - Integrated Border Management Fund: Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy -
Date: TUESDAY, 6 JULY 2021
Speaker: Ylva Johansson
Language: EN

There are, of course, still a lot of people in crisis, but Europe is no longer in a migration crisis. Our Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund reflects this change. We are moving away from a permanent state of emergency funding to focus on more structural support for migration management, still always putting people first. That doesn’t change. The fund helps Member States to help people, mainly by funding internal needs, but also acknowledging needs beyond the EU’s external border, subject to appropriate safeguards, and allowing the new Neighbourhood, Development, and International Cooperation Instrument to play its role in migration management.  This Friday, I will host a high—level forum on resettlement. I want Europe to become a global leader on resettlement, helping people in need of international protection to safety. The fund provides the financial firepower to achieve this ambition, creating incentives for Member States to effectively resettle people and allowing Member States to organise projects to support refugees. The fund supports legal pathways to Europe, helping talent to thrive and our businesses to prosper. The fund supports integration and inclusion by helping people to build new homes and new lives in Europe. We will work closely with other EU funds, such as the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), to maximise synergies and make a real difference for people on the ground.  The fund also supports dignified returns of those not eligible for asylum that have to return to their country of origin. In short, this agreement on the AMIF is another important step towards a more European way of managing migration. As the examples I just mentioned show, it will play a strategic role in the implementation of the new Pact on Migration and Asylum.  The effective protection of the EU’s external border is crucial if we are to manage the challenges ahead. The instrument for financial support for border management and visa policy will support strong and smart borders. It will facilitate legitimate border crossings, while preventing irregular migration and cross-border crime. It will support the good functioning of the Schengen Area without internal border checks, a topic we will discuss more in the next debate, and support a higher internal security level. Over the past few years, a number of measures have been introduced to address the immediate challenges and to put in place the important building blocks needed to ensure strong and smart borders. The funds will support the continuation of this work by ensuring that large—scale IT systems used for border management are robust and can function seamlessly with one another and with national systems, and by ensuring that the EU’s common visa policy adapts to evolving security concerns, challenges linked to migration and new opportunities offered by technological developments. The fund will contribute to enhance the Member States’ capacities in these areas, reinforce cooperation and harmonisation between Member States, and create synergies between national authorities and Frontex.  The fund will be providing for a minimum level of expenditure of 10% in the common visa policy to ensure a harmonised approach with regard to the issuance of visas. This will facilitate travel. It will also build trust by helping to ensure a similar level of protection of the borders. It will address the current differences between the Member States due to geographical location and differences in capacities and resources available. The increased budget, amounting to EUR 6.3 billion, will allow us to meet unforeseen needs and new priorities in a better way. Our EU funds will help us to put our policies into practice, help us to manage migration and restore Schengen to free movement. We now have seven years ahead of us to translate into actions the opportunities and support captured in these two funds.  The Commission will update Parliament and the Council on the developments, and counts on your continued support throughout the implementation period.