Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: The European Commission’s president urged the EU on Wednesday to take “immediate action” on migration, including reinforcing infrastructure at the Turkish-Bulgarian border.
Ursula von der Leyen asserted that “there are undoubtedly increased pressures” at the EU’s external borders during her speech at the European Parliament’s plenary session.
She added that the number of unauthorized border crossings recorded by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) in 2022 was 330,000, up 64% from the previous year and the most significant since 2016.
According to Von der Leyen, “most asylum seekers do not require protection, and return rates are as low as 22%”.
European Union leaders
She said that to make a “genuine difference on the ground,” the European Commission will recommend “immediate action” in four areas to EU leaders at a special migration summit on February 9 and 10. According to von der Leyen, “the most urgent challenges at the moment are along the land border between Bulgaria and Turkey,” border management capabilities need to be improved.
According to the Commission’s proposal, the EU could enhance FRONTEX’s presence while providing “infrastructure and equipment, like drones, radar, and other observation methods.
Furthermore, the EU should address the increasing migration pressure in the Central Mediterranean and crack down on smuggling networks. She added that the bloc must ensure; “solidarity and accountability” among member states when handling asylum claims and greater and quicker dignified returns of those whose applications were denied.
As the fourth point of action, the EU must strike a “fair balance” in its interaction with adjacent and origin countries. According to Von der Leyen, talent partnerships, visa policy, trade, investment, and opportunities for safe and legal pathways, all play a vital role in our overall comprehensive approach to migration management.
