Union support for Asylum, Migration and Integration; Internal Security; and Integrated Border Management and Visa Policy

Key points

The EESC:

• stresses the urgent need to establish an immigration policy that provides legal, safe and effective channels for access to the EU. This stance aligns with its previous opinions, in which the EESC underlined the importance of ensuring legal pathways into the EU, protecting the fundamental rights of migrants and improving the management of mobility within the EU;
• notes that the three regulations taken together reveal a structural reorientation of the EU’s priorities, with a marked shift towards control and security. The strong focus on security, both internal and external, tends to overlook support measures on integration and inclusion. The EESC emphasises that migration policy cannot be reduced to a security-driven approach;
• notes that a full set of tools and instruments to manage regular migration and avoid irregularity are important elements of a well-functioning migration system, including return when applicable and in full compliance with EU and international law. However, their implementation must be carefully balanced, with respect for fundamental rights, in particular the right to individual protection;
• considers it essential to improve the mechanisms for independent monitoring of fundamental rights and humanitarian conditions at borders, with transparent reporting mechanisms;
• believes that the three regulations adopted together for 2028-2034 place strong emphasis on security measures and the outsourcing of border control and raise concerns about potential risks to fundamental rights. It is essential to ensure that fundamental human rights are protected at the same time.