Progress on European Agenda on Migration and Security Union

The Commission presented new measures for an efficient and credible return policy and called on Member States to renew efforts in implementing solidarity.

New measures for an efficient and credible EU return policy

After the Malta Summit of 3 February 2017 highlighted the need for a review of EU return policy, the Commission is today following through with a renewed EU Action Plan on Return and a set of recommendations to Member States on how to make return procedures more effective. The measures proposed by the Commission consist of practical steps which can have an immediate impact. They focus on closing loopholes and applying the existing rules with the rigour and realism required to ensure they deliver in line with fundamental rights requirements.

Concrete actions proposed at EU level include:

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  Increased financial support to Member States with €200 million in 2017 for national return efforts and joint European return and reintegration activities;
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  Improving information exchange to enforce return;
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  Exchanging best practices to ensure reintegration packages are consistent and coherent among Member States;
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  Offering full support to Member States by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency;
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  Overcoming the challenges of readmission by working to swiftly conclude Readmission Agreements with Nigeria, Tunisia and Jordan and striving to engage with Morocco and Algeria;
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  Tailor-made approaches with third countries to jointly manage migration and further improve cooperation on return and readmission.

The Commission also recommended that Member States:

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  Improve the coordination in each Member State by June 2017 to effective returns while respecting the rights of the returnees;
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  Remove inefficiencies by shortening deadlines for appeals, systematically issuing return decisions that do not have an expiry date and combining decisions on the ending of a legal stay with the issuance of a return decision to avoid duplicate work;
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  Tackle abuses of the system;
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  Increase the effectiveness of return procedures and decisions;
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  Set up operational assisted voluntary return programmes by 1 June 2017.

Call for renewed efforts in implementing solidarity measures under the European Agenda on Migration

Ahead of next week's European Council (9-10 March) the Commission made a renewed call on Member States to pick up the pace of relocation to alleviate pressure from Italy and Greece, with few having met their commitments in full. The Commission also called on Member States to make good on the commitment given for the European Border and Coast Guard Agency and fill gaps in manpower and equipment by the end of March. With the EU-Turkey Statement continuing to keep irregular crossings under control, but with arrivals still outpacing returns, the Commission also called on Greece and all Member States to keep up the momentum in implementing the Joint Action Plan to improve the situation in the islands.

Accelerated delivery under the Migration Partnership Framework and further actions along the Central Mediterranean Route

The Commission and High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini i reported on the progress made under the Migration Partnership Framework and presented the first steps taken to implement actions along the Central Mediterranean Route, as laid out in the Malta Declaration of 3 February and the Joint Communication of 25 January.

According to the third Progress Report on the Partnership Framework with third countries, tangible progress has been made with the five priority countries - Ethiopia, Niger, Nigeria, Mali and Senegal - but efforts need to be stepped up to deliver results. Along the Central Mediterranean route, work is being taken forward on several fronts: to continue saving lives; to step up the fight against smugglers and traffickers and offer protection to migrants in need; and to increase resettlement and assisted voluntary returns, fully abiding by the EU's humanitarian imperative and the respect for human rights.

Security Union: Fifth progress report

The Commission presented its fifth progress report, focusing on the implementation of different priority files and urging a swift adoption of legislative proposals including the Terrorism Directive and the Firearms Directive. The report also underlines the Commission's efforts on non-legislative files aimed at enhancing the EU's resilience in fighting terrorism and radicalisation.