Since the height of the migration crisis in 2015, the EU has implemented measures to control external borders and migration flows better. As a result, irregular arrivals to the EU have been reduced by more than 90%.
The EU and its member states are intensifying efforts to establish an effective, humanitarian and safe European migration policy. The European Council plays an important role in this effort by setting the strategic priorities.
Based on these priorities, the Council of the EU establishes lines of action and provides the mandates for negotiations with third countries. It also adopts legislation and defines specific programmes.
Over the past few years the Council and European Council have build up a strong response to migratory pressure.
The timeline on migratory pressures provides an overview of the key developments in the work of the Council and the European Council:
In October 2015, the Luxembourg presidency activated the integrated political crisis response (IPCR) arrangements. These provide concrete tools to help coordinate the political response to a crisis by bringing together key actors.
Eastern Mediterranean route
The Eastern Mediterranean route refers to irregular arrivals to Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria. In 2015, high numbers of refugees seeking shelter from Syria's war arrived in the EU via this route.
Since then the number of irregular arrivals on this route has fallen considerably thanks to the cooperation between the EU and Turkey.
Western routes
Western Mediterranean route
The Western Mediterranean route refers to irregular arrivals to Spain, both by sea to mainland Spain and by land to the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in Northern Africa. It is mostly used by migrants from Algeria and Morocco but people from many sub-Saharan African countries also try to reach Europe via this route.
Following a peak in 2018, Spain has seen a decrease in the number of arrivals, for a variety of reasons. One major factor was the EU’s investment in a close partnership with Morocco to help strengthen border control and combat trafficking of migrants.
Western African route
The West African route refers to arrivals at the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. In 2020 it has become the most-used sea route to reach Spain, with ten times as many arrivals than in the same period last year.
This route - with departures from Morocco, the Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal and the Gambia - has accounted for more than half of sea arrivals to Spain.
Central Mediterranean route
The Central Mediterranean route refers to irregular sea arrivals to Italy and Malta. Migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa transit through Tunisia and Libya on their journey to Europe. This route to the EU was the most-used route between 2015 and 2017. Following two years of low numbers of irregular migrants on the route, the number has greatly increased in 2020.
The EU has taken concrete measures to address the migration situation in Libya and to tackle the root causes of migration in Africa.
Situation at the EU's external borders with Belarus
Following the political upheaval in Belarus and the restrictive measures adopted by the EU, in June 2021 Belarus started to organise flights and internal travel to facilitate the transit of migrants towards the EU, first to Lithuania and then to Latvia and Poland. The majority of migrants were Iraqi, Afghan and Syrian nationals.
At the European Council of 24-25 June 2021, EU leaders condemned any attempt by third countries to instrumentalise migrants for political purposes. On 22 October 2021, they said that the EU will continue countering the ongoing hybrid attack launched by the Belarusian regime, including by adopting further restrictive measures against persons and legal entities.
Because of concerted EU efforts, the number of daily irregular arrivals has dropped sharply. However, the migratory pressure at the border remains high.
Saving lives at sea and targeting criminal networks
Migrants and refugees trying to reach Europe have embarked on life-threatening journeys, whilst smugglers have used increasingly dangerous tactics to cross the Mediterranean. The EU has deployed:
- three Frontex operations in the Mediterranean to rescue migrants at risk and combat migrant smuggling
- a naval military operation (IRINI) to disrupt the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks
The EU also established the European migrants smuggling centre at Europol in 2016 to help member states crack down on migrant smuggling.
How the EU manages migration flows
The EU has adopted various sets of rules and frameworks to manage legal migration flows for highly-skilled workers, students and researchers, seasonal workers, and people seeking family reunification.
In respect of other migration flows, the EU has common rules for processing asylum requests. The EU also signs readmission agreements for returning irregular migrants.
Integration of third-country nationals
Relocation and resettlement measures adopted in response to the refugee and migrant crisis have highlighted the need to support member states which have less experience with integration.
EU asylum reform
The common European asylum system (CEAS) sets minimum standards for the treatment of all asylum seekers and asylum applications across the EU. The migration crisis highlighted the need to reform the EU’s asylum rules.
As part of a more general reform of EU migration and asylum rules, on 23 September 2020 the European Commission proposed a new pact on migration and asylum. The proposal provides for a comprehensive common European framework for migration and asylum management, including several legislative proposals.
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