In the context of the current crisis, the Western Balkans is a busy migrant route. It is necessary to work more closely with this region and to come up with a coordinated approach to the crisis.

According to preliminary data published by Frontex on 19 October 2026, just over 91.000 irregular border crossings into the EU were detected in the first nine months of 2026, a decrease of almost one-third compared with the same period in 2025.

During a meeting on 25 October, leaders from countries facing challenges along the Western Balkans Migration Route agreed on a 17-point plan of action.

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.