Brussels, 30 June 2023
EXTERNAL DIMENSION OF MIGRATION
- The President noted that the European Council expresses its profound sorrow for the terrible loss of life as a result of the recent tragedy in the Mediterranean. He noted that the European Union remains committed to breaking the business model of traffickers and smuggling networks, including instrumentalisation, and to tackling the root causes of irregular migration so as to better address the flows of migrants and avoid that people embark on such perilous journeys.
- Migration is a European challenge that requires a European response. The migratory situation at the EU’s external borders and within the EU was reviewed in a comprehensive way, and work undertaken so far in the framework of a European response was noted. The Council Presidency and the Commission informed the European Council about the steady progress in implementing its conclusions of 9 February 2023, with a focus on the external aspects of migration and their financing mechanisms. Following the Commission’s recent letter, and building on the progress so far, work will be stepped up on all strands of action, along all migratory routes, in line with international law. The Council and the Commission will continue to closely monitor and ensure the implementation of the European Council conclusions and report accordingly. The Commission will continue working on the elements contained in its letter, including on mobilising existing EU funding in support of temporary protection.
- The European Council will keep this work under review.
- It was noted that Poland and Hungary declared that, in the context of the ongoing work on the Pact on Migration and Asylum, in line with the previous European Council conclusions of December 2016, June 2018 and June 2019, there is a need to find consensus on an effective migration and asylum policy, that, in the context of solidarity measures, relocation and resettlement should be on a voluntary basis and that all forms of solidarity should be considered equally valid and not serve as a potential pull factor for irregular migration.
Source – EU Council