Control alone is not enough: EESC calls for a more balanced migration strategy

Europe's migration policy must be built on rights, integration and legal pathways, not just border controls and returns, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) says in its opinion on the European Migration and Asylum Strategy, adopted during its July plenary session.

The opinion on the European Migration and Asylum Strategy welcomes the European Commission's attempt to establish a common framework for EU action over the next five years. However, the Committee argues that the strategy places too much emphasis on containment, border management and returns, while giving insufficient attention to integration, inclusion, legal migration pathways and the protection of fundamental rights. 

As rapporteur José Antonio MORENO DÍAZ explains: 'We are concerned about whether the implementation of the strategy will fully comply with the Union's core values, in particular respect for human rights, human dignity, solidarity and the rule of law. The credibility and legitimacy of the EU migration policy will depend on the extent to which these principles are effectively upheld in practice.'

A strategy that needs rebalancing

The EESC acknowledges several positive elements in the Commission's proposal, including references to the Charter of Fundamental Rights, support for temporary protection for displaced Ukrainians and recognition of the importance of improving integration policies. However, it believes that these elements are overshadowed by a broader political focus on control and deterrence. 

The Committee warns that migration policy risks becoming overly centred on border management and returns. While recognising that returns are part of a functioning migration system, it stresses that they should remain a measure of last resort within a broader, effective and humane approach. Greater emphasis should instead be placed on voluntary return programmes accompanied by meaningful reintegration support. 

Opening legal pathways

A central concern for the EESC is the strategy's narrow focus on attracting highly skilled workers. The Committee argues that regular migration pathways should be expanded to reflect the reality of migration, which includes people moving for work at all skill levels, family reunification, humanitarian protection and better life opportunities. 

According to the opinion, limiting legal routes mainly to highly qualified talent risks increasing irregular migration and creating opportunities for exploitation and trafficking. The EESC therefore calls for a wider range of safe and accessible legal pathways, backed by safeguards against labour exploitation, social dumping and undeclared work. 

Fundamental rights must remain non-negotiable

The Committee expresses serious concerns about several aspects of the strategy, including the use of "safe country" concepts, return hubs outside the EU. The EESC is concerned that the use of ‘safe third country’ and ‘safe country of origin’ concepts may undermine the individual assessment of asylum claims. It also considers that the idea of return hubs outside the EU and outsourcing the detention and management of returnees to third countries raises serious questions about ensuring respect for human rights and the EU’s responsibility as guarantor of the rights of people under its effective jurisdiction.

The opinion warns that growing deployment of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in migration management, without sufficient safeguards, risks leading to automated decision-making systems. It argues that technological efficiency can never replace individual assessment, effective judicial protection and the principle of non-refoulement. 

The EESC calls for binding and independent monitoring mechanisms to ensure that all migration-related measures fully respect the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, particularly at the Union's external borders and throughout asylum and return procedures. 

Integration is the missing piece

For the EESC, integration remains the strategy's biggest weakness. The Committee argues that successful migration policies depend on successful integration policies and that migrants must be able to access employment, education, healthcare and social services on an equal footing. 

It calls for stronger support for language learning, recognition of qualifications and lifelong learning opportunities, alongside the active involvement of social partners, local authorities and civil society organisations. More attention should also be paid to vulnerable groups, including women, children, persons with disabilities and victims of trafficking. 

The opinion also questions an approach to migration diplomacy that relies heavily on externalising migration management. The EESC warns that cooperation with third countries should not be reduced to border control and return arrangements. Instead, partnerships should combine development support, legal migration opportunities and strong human rights safeguards. 

Ultimately, the Committee argues that the success of the EU's migration policy will be judged not only by its effectiveness, but also by its ability to uphold Europe's core values.