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Budgets and funding

EU member states want more money for migration control in post-2028 budget /// Member states discuss Migration Pact’s “solidarity contributions” /// European Commission makes €28 million available for border security technology research

EU member states want more money for migration control in post-2028 budget

EU member states are gearing up for the publication of the proposal for the 2028-34 EU budget, which is expected on 16 July. A recent paper circulated by the Polish Presidency  (pdf) examines the current budgets available for external migration control projects, and summarises high-level discussions in the Strategic Committee on Immigration, Frontiers and Asylum (SCIFA).

The summary of the SCIFA discussion indicates a range of different priorities:

• member states want “new sources of funding to finance strategic and comprehensive partnerships (SCPs)”;
• some want “a Team Europe approach, which would allow for better coordination between the EU and national funds”;
• “several Member States called for an increase of funds available for migration under the new MFF,” for topics including “the external dimension, the Mediterranean, SCPs, migrant smuggling, trafficking in human beings, return and readmission, but also the so-called innovative solutions”

Spending is currently higher than anticipated, at least in relation to the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI-GE), the EU’s €80 billion aid budget.

At least 10% of the funds should be spent on migration-related projects. The document notes that “until now on average the spending has been of around 14%.”

The document also discusses “lessons learnt” from a 2024 review of the current budgets, which run from 2021-27, and asks a number of questions to delegations to inform future discussions.

The document was discussed by the EMWP on 18 June.

Member states discuss Migration Pact’s “solidarity contributions”

The new Asylum and Migration Management Regulation, approved last year, will put a range of new bodies and tools at the disposal of EU member states. These include a “permanent EU Migration Support Toolbox” that will provide new means for the externalisation of EU migration and border controls.

These include “solidarity contributions,” to be made from one or several member states to another that is facing “migratory pressure.” Those contributions can involve relocating refugees (for example, from Greece to Germany), as well as “financial contributions, alternative measures or a combination thereof.”

A Polish Presidency note from the beginning of June (pdf) highlights that financial contributions should “mainly” support actions in a member state facing “migratory pressure.” They can also, however, “be used for projects in or in relation to third countries that might have a direct impact on the migratory flows at the external borders or improve the asylum and migration situation in the third country concerned.”

The Presidency’s note describes the administrative and financial mechanisms being set up to manage the contributions. It ends with questions to member states, asking how their internal decision-making procedures will work, and what they will find most “challenging” about “planning, pledging and implementing your potential financial contributions and alternative solidarity measures.”

The document was discussed by the Asylum Working Party on 10 June (pdf)

European Commission makes €28 million available for border security technology research

The European Commission has announced a total pot of €28 million for new security research projects on the “effective management of EU borders.” The funding is part of a larger €250 million tranche of security research funding.

The Commission is seeking projects dealing with:

• “efficient border surveillance and maritime security”;
• “secured and facilitated crossing of external borders”; and
• “better customs and supply chain security.”