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Stronger migration control role for EU foreign security and defence missions in the works /// “Significant progress” in implementing Pact on Migration and Asylum, says European Commission

Stronger migration control role for EU foreign security and defence missions in the works

A Polish Presidency document dated 10 June (pdf) “analyses the role of selected civilian CSDP [Common Security and Defence Policy] missions in addressing migration-related challenges along key routes to the EU, highlighting concrete contributions and lessons learned for future EU engagement.”

The Presidency’s paper is framed by the EU’s recent ‘ProtectEU’ internal security strategy, which also focuses on the “external dimension” of security. It was circulated for discussion at the EMWP meeting on 18 June.

The paper refers to the EU’s CSDP missions in Niger (currently on hold following the 2023 military coup), Mali, Libya, Ukraine and Iraq. The mandate of each of these missions was amended in recent years to also cover migration and “border management” issues. The Presidency raises the question of how the missions could better monitor “migratory flows” towards the EU.

It is noteworthy there is only one proposal for a mission to “consider how it can best support the safe and efficient movement of people” – the CSDP mission in Ukraine.

“Significant progress” in implementing Pact on Migration and Asylum, says European Commission

On 11 June, the European Commission published a report on the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum. The Commission argues that “significant progress” has been made since June last year, when the new laws were agreed, but “further efforts are required to address remaining challenges.” The new laws are supposed to be in place by June 2026.