Karner in Paris: secure EU borders and stop illegal migration!

Karner in Paris: secure EU borders and stop illegal migration!

Paris, Frankreich - Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) travels to Paris to meet his French counterpart Bruno Retailleau. The focus of the meeting is on joint measures against illegal migration and tugs, as [OE24] reports. Karner emphasizes the need to protect the external borders of the EU and to force the deportations from Europe, which he sees as crucial for the common European asylum system (GEAS).

Another central theme of the conversation is the urgency of the implementation of the EU asylum and migration package. It is emphasized that the open structure of the EU external borders enables migrants to make asylum applications, even if many of these applications are rejected afterwards. This problem is recognized by the EU Commission, which is working on a new GEAS, whose details want to introduce Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on September 23, as can be read in the [FPOE] information.

challenges of European migration policy

The challenges that arise from the current migration situation are diverse. The Dublin Agreement leaves responsibility for asylum applications in the first EU country that a migrant enters. Countries such as Greece and Italy are particularly stressed because they often act as the first points of contact. Austria and Germany, on the other hand, also suffer from a high volume of asylum seekers, even though they are not at the outer border.

A particularly serious problem remains the insufficient number of deportations of illegal migrants. In 2019, 514,000 third -country nationals received the order for departure, but only 162,000 left the EU. This means that over 650,000 third -country nationals continue to live illegally in the EU. The pressure on the existing system is growing because there is a lack of practical solutions to improve the situation that is clearly outlined in the [FPOE] analyzes.

legal migration as a solution approach

Another aspect that belongs to the migration debate is the need to create legal migration routes. Resettlements could bring those in need of protection directly to the EU, which would reduce the dependence on tugs. In 2019, for example, around 31,000 people came to the EU via resettlement lens, while over 720,000 asylum applications were submitted.

In addition, highly qualified workers from non-EU countries are important for the European economy. In 2023, around 89,000 people received an EU Blue Card, with Germany exhibiting the largest share. This legal way is important for the labor market, as the latest statistics of [Eurostat] show. The need to bring trained specialists into the EU remains an important consideration in the context of migration policy.

The upcoming dialogue between Karner and Retailleau could be crucial for the future EU migration policy. The two ministers are faced with the challenge of implementing effective solutions that guarantee both the safety of the external borders and improve the legal framework for migration.