The European Union’s executive arm, the European Commission, is planning to introduce new measures to address the issue of illegal immigration. This move comes in response to growing concerns from governments across the bloc regarding the political and security implications of illegal immigration. Ahead of a summit in Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote a letter to EU leaders, expressing her commitment to addressing what she called ”a European challenge.” She proposed establishing more agreements with non-EU countries that are sources or transit points for illegal immigrants in order to prevent them from reaching EU territory. Additionally, she suggested creating “return hubs” in non-EU countries like Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, Senegal, and Mali where individuals who have no right to stay in the EU can be sent back. Von der Leyen cited Italy’s agreement with Albania as an example of such cooperation.
During the summit, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz acknowledged that there may be disagreements among member states on this issue but emphasized that progress needs to be made on implementing a common European asylum system and improving efficiency in terms of returns. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof also highlighted the need for collective efforts aimed at limiting asylum seekers’ flow and promoting returns.
Furthermore, Poland and Baltic countries expressed their desire for a unified stance within the bloc against Russia and Belarus’s use of immigration as a weapon against the EU. Previously accused by EU officials of orchestrating a “hybrid attack,” Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has been accused of using illegal immigrants as pawns with support from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In 2023 alone, approximately 1.27 million people were found to be illegally present in EU countries—a 13 percent increase compared to the previous year—while over one million people entered Europe by sea primarily due to conflicts in Syria, Iraq,and Afghanistan.
The introduction of stricter immigration policies has led to widespread frustration throughout the EU and contributed towards electoral shifts towards right-wing parties. Several countries including Sweden,Austria,and France have implemented stricter border controls while Germany temporarily suspended freedom within its passport-free Schengen zone due toc oncerns over illegal immigrationand extremist threats following significant gains made by anti-immigration populist party Alternative for Germanyin state elections.