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The European Union's objectives in the field of external border protection are to safeguard freedom of movement within the Schengen area (an area without internal borders) and to ensure efficient monitoring of people who cross the Union's external borders. To strengthen its external borders and prevent irregular migrants from reaching its territory, the European Union (EU) has turned its focus to extending its partnerships with third countries and to reinforcing its border agencies, providing them ...

In December 2021, the European Commission presented a proposal to amend the Schengen Borders Code, which lays down the rules governing controls at the EU internal and external borders. While debates on the reform of Schengen have been going on for a while, recent challenges – relating to the coronavirus pandemic on the one hand, and attempts to instrumentalise migrants as a way to put pressure on the EU's external borders, on the other – have brought new momentum for reform. The Commission's proposal ...

In October 2023, the Commission submitted a proposal to revise Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 in order to strengthen the visa suspension mechanism. This mechanism allows the EU to temporarily suspend visa exemptions in the event of increased irregular migration or security risks from a visa free country. The proposal addresses three main challenges to the EU visa regime: the misalignment of visa policies of certain visa-free countries with the EU visa policy; the growing number of asylum seekers from ...

Recast Eurodac Regulation

Briefing 06-06-2024

Eurodac is a biometric database in which Member States are required to enter the fingerprint data of asylum-seekers in order to identify where they entered the European Union (EU). Established in 2000 and reviewed in 2013, its main purpose is to facilitate the application of the Dublin Regulation. The 2013 revision of the regulation broadened its scope to provide law enforcement authorities with access to the Eurodac database. As part of the reform of the common European asylum system in 2016, the ...

In September 2020, the Commission put forward a new pact on migration and asylum, setting out a comprehensive approach to European Union (EU) migration policies that links external borders, asylum, return systems, the Schengen area of free movement and the external dimension of migration. The pact includes a proposal for a new regulation on the screening of third-country nationals at external borders aiming to clarify and streamline the rules on dealing with third-country nationals who are not authorised ...

On 13 July 2016, as part of the reform of the common European asylum system and the long-term policy on better migration management, the European Commission presented a proposal to provide for a permanent framework with standard common procedures for resettlement across the EU, to complement current national and multilateral resettlement initiatives. Resettlement is a tool to help displaced persons in need of protection reach Europe safely and legally, and receive protection for as long as necessary ...

Revision of the Schengen Borders Code

At a Glance 16-04-2024

In December 2021, the European Commission proposed to revise the Schengen Borders Code, with a view to strengthening the Schengen area. The revision introduces new rules to address challenges relating to irregular migration, security and public health emergencies. Following the provisional agreement reached by the co legislators in December 2023, Parliament will vote on the proposal during its April II part-session.

Sanctions have become an increasingly central element of the EU's common and foreign security policy. At present, the EU has over 50 sanctions programmes in place, concerning nearly 40 countries. Unlike the comprehensive trade embargoes used in the past, the EU has moved towards asset freezes and visa bans targeting individual persons and companies, aiming to influence foreign governments while avoiding humanitarian costs for the general population. Other measures in the sanctions 'toolkit' include ...

Recast Eurodac Regulation

At a Glance 08-04-2024

Eurodac is a biometric database in which Member States are required to enter the fingerprint data of asylum-seekers or irregular migrants in order to identify where they entered the EU, and whether they have previously submitted asylum applications elsewhere in the EU. In 2016, the Commission proposed to review the Eurodac Regulation to enhance the practical implementation of the Dublin system, facilitate returns and use the database to tackle irregular migration. During the April I plenary session ...

The Commission's proposal to introduce screening of third-country nationals at the external borders provides for identity and security checks based on the consultation of relevant national and European information systems. To implement these checks, the legal bases of the relevant EU systems for border management and security need to be amended, and Parliament is due to vote on a trilogue agreement on this in April.