An informal videoconference meeting among the ministers of the interior of the European Union (EU) member states, organized by the German Presidency, took place on Friday, 13 November, to discuss the threat of terrorism in the wake of the recent attacks and a political awareness project on European migration and asylum policy.
Ministers agreed that, despite the work done so far in the fight against terrorism, the recent terrorist attacks in France and Austria continue to show that all EU Member States need to continue to pay close attention to this issue.
During the discussion on the political awareness project, the Presidency emphasized the need to strengthen work on European migration policy by establishing effective cooperation between Member States and support for third countries in all key areas; effective management of the EU's external borders must be continued, including the active involvement of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) in return activities, including adequate funding.
At the meeting, the minister of the Interior emphasized the need to achieve a unified, coherent and comprehensive approach to truly sustainable management of migration flows, based on a practical, easy-to-implement and efficient system that can be flexibly adapted to different situations and national practices.
Ģirgens: "We need to continue our efforts to break down the existing 'business' models used by human smugglers. They must not create new opportunities that they can abuse. The relocation of persons who do not need international protection will only create such new opportunities. All necessary resources and impacts must be invested to ensure that the return takes place as soon as possible and from the point of entry."
The minister considers that migration is a complex phenomenon and therefore a comprehensive approach is important, which provides sustainable and practical solutions that enable the management of migration flows and do not create new illegal incentives. The implementation of joint and strategic measures must be taken from the experience of the 2015 migration crisis, which led to an uncontrolled influx of migrants into Europe.
On 23 September this year, the European Commission issued the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, a political statement outlining common principles for a new, sustainable EU migration policy.
Communication department
Ministry of the Interior of Latvia