Home Affairs Ministers have an extensive debate about migratory pressures and challenges

During the meeting of the Home Affairs Council, Ministers discussed migratory pressures, and in particular the situation in the central Mediterranean, as well as increasing trends in asylum applications from Western Balkans countries and in particular Kosovo.

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At the meeting of the Home Affairs Council on 12-13 March 2015, Ministers inter alia discussed the management of migratory flows. They concluded that the EU needs to reinforce its action as migratory pressures continue to affect not only the Mediterranean Region but also the land borders in the Western Balkans Region. They agreed to strengthen surveillance at external borders and to reinforce the resources and the operational capacities of Frontex. They also committed to give priority to the fight against the criminal networks of smugglers and traffickers to reinforce the cooperation with third countries for the efficient management of migratory flows.

Find additional information on the main results of the Home Affairs Council meeting in the news section of the website of the Council of the European Union.

Following the Home Affairs Council, Commissioner Avramopoulos stressed that the European Commission has decided to accelerate by 2 months the adoption of the European Agenda on Migration to be presented in May instead of July. He explained that key areas of action, which will be at the core of the upcoming European Agenda on Migration, have been identified. He noted the importance of reinforcing the cooperation with third countries in an integrated approach, encompassing the fight against smuggling but also development assistance and humanitarian actions.

Please read more about Commissioner Avramopoulos' speech following the the Home Affairs Council.

Publication Date: Fri 13 Mar 2015
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