Tackling immigration to improve security – EU Commission answer

Brussels, 1 August 2022

EN
P-002110/2022
Answer given by Ms Johansson
on behalf of the European Commission
(1.8.2022)
As regards the protection of the EU external border and return and readmission, the Pact on Migration and Asylum¹ presents a comprehensive approach to build a sustainable asylum and migration management system. Management of external borders, returns and readmission are essential elements of a credible policy. Establishing a common EU system for return that ensures effective returns in full respect of fundamental rights is a core element of the Pact.

The Commission has proposed a renewed legal framework with the recast Return Directive² and the proposals accompanying the Pact, to make the common EU system more robust and resilient. The Return Coordinator³ and Frontex are working on improving the operational cooperation. With the EU strategy on voluntary return and reintegration⁴, support to increase voluntary returns from the EU has been stepped up. All initiatives taken in this area aim to reinforce the EU’s capacity to return persons who have no right to stay in an effective, humane and dignified way.

Through the Pact, the Commission is reinforcing the management of the EU external borders, notably through stepped up operational support from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex). The Member States should, without prejudice to their international protection obligations, take proportionate measures to prevent and discourage unauthorised border crossings and should introduce effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties in accordance with their national law for the unauthorised crossings of the external borders at places other than border crossing points.

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1 COM(2020) 609 final.
2 COM(2018) 634 final.
3 Mari Juritsch, appointed on 16 March 2022.
4 COM(2021) 120.