A holistic and cohesive migration system can arm Europe against dictators' threats and refugee crises

Responding to the state-sponsored instrumentalisation of migrants at the EU's external borders, the EESC held a conference on this topic, highlighting the momentum behind the Europeanisation of migration policy. So far, authoritarian leaders have instrumentalised humanitarian suffering to blackmail Europe, as they are aware of the gap on migration policy on the continent.

The conference entitled Towards a Europeanisation of migration policy? Lessons to be drawn from the instrumentalisation of migrants and the war in Ukraine was held in conjunction with the External Relations (REX) section meeting.

It should be noted that the instrumentalisation of migrants by the Belarusian regime was not the first case of its kind, as similar abuses had also been carried out by Turkey, Libya and Morocco.

Regarding the instrumentalisation of migrants as a weapon in the hands of authoritarian leaders, the Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said: "The main lesson drawn from our policies is that, as long as we are not able to produce a common and agreed migration system, we will be targeted."

EESC president Christa Schweng stressed: "This refugee crisis has made it clear that migration impacts all Member States. The EU must use this momentum to move forward with the New Pact on Migration and Asylum in order to bring about the systemic change necessary to develop a rational and rights-based EU asylum and migration policy".

"Now it is the moment of geopolitics. Exactly as we came together with the pandemic, this war is producing the same effect in European public opinion and this is very important", emphasised the Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas. (at)