IPCR High Level Round Table on migration

At the beginning of a very intense week in Brussels, on 2 March 2020 the Croatian Presidency of the Council of the EU organised the Integrated Political Crisis Response (IPCR) High Level Roundtable on migration. EU institutions, agencies and Member States’ representatives exchanged information on the latest developments at the Greek and Bulgarian borders with Turkey and assessed the situation on the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Balkan routes.

Following this IPCR meeting, the Council and the Commission expressed their full solidarity with Greece and Bulgaria and reiterated their firm commitment to ensuring the protection of the EU's external borders.

All EU Member States are ready to support those Member States most affected, and in particular to rapidly respond to requests for support in the form of Frontex i deployments.

Close monitoring of the situation and coordination between all involved will continue through the relevant channels, including the IPCR mechanism.

The EU will also continue to closely cooperate with the Western Balkan partners in addressing migratory flows.

The Croatian Presidency also called for an extraordinary meeting of the EU Home Affairs ministers, which will be held in Brussels on Wednesday, 4 March 2020, to further discuss the migration situation and the latest developments at the EU’s external borders.

IPCR mechanism allows the Presidency of the Council to coordinate the political response to emergency situations by bringing together Member States, Commission, EEAS, EU agencies and other key stakeholders. It provides concrete tools that facilitate increased cooperation: informal high- and working level roundtables, regular reports, web platform and 24/7 contact point.