EU needs 'more than ever' to reinforce security on its external borders: Commissioner

GENEVA

The European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, outlined the European Union’s strategy Wednesday to reinforce security on its external borders and address the longstanding issue of ineffective returns of unsuccessful asylum seekers and visa overstayers.

At a press conference with Poland's Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak, Brunner emphasized the need to strengthen Europe's borders.

"Europe's borders are key for its security, and now more than ever, we need to reinforce security on our external borders," he said.

A central component of this effort is the implementation of an advanced entry-exit system, which Brunner described as "the most technologically advanced border management system in the whole world."

This system is designed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of border checks while also helping to detect and prevent criminal and terrorist activities, as well as combat illegal migration, he said.

However, the issue of returns remains a significant challenge, Brunner said, noting that currently, only one out of five people who do not have the right to stay in the EU are actually returned.

To address this, he announced that next week, he will present new legislation on returns, aiming to "equip the European Union with effective procedures" for returning unsuccessful asylum claimants and visa overstayers.

Brunner emphasized the importance of this return legislation, saying it is "crucial to ensure fairness for those who have followed the rules and to maintain public support for an open and tolerant society."

Additionally, he said that lists of Safe Third Countries and Safe Countries of Origin will be presented earlier than the scheduled June deadlines to meet the objectives of the EU's migration pact.

In the meantime, he said the ministers at the Justice and Home Affairs Council discussed operational solutions that can be implemented immediately to enhance the effectiveness of returns, such as issuing alerts in the Schengen Information System and making better use of support from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).