The European Commission has set out its first European Asylum and Migration Management Strategy, listing political objectives and priorities for EU asylum and migration policy for the next five years.
The strategy sets three main objectives: preventing illegal migration and disrupting criminal smuggling networks; protecting people fleeing war and persecution while preventing abuse of asylum systems; and attracting workers to fill skills needs and support the EU economy, the Commission said in a statement on Thursday.
It listed five priorities, starting with “migration diplomacy”, including closer cooperation with partner countries and using policy tools such as visa policy, trade and financial support to encourage cooperation on migration, it added.
A second priority is strengthening the EU’s external borders, including rolling out the Entry/Exit System (EES) — a digital system to register non-EU travellers crossing the EU’s external borders — and launching the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), an authorisation scheme for visa-exempt travellers.
Border checks, asylum rules and returns
The Commission said all “illegal arrivals” would be screened and that border procedures at the EU’s external borders under the Pact on Migration and Asylum would apply from June 2026.
It also said it would seek to strengthen Frontex, the EU’s border and coast guard agency, through a revision of its founding regulation.
On asylum and migration rules, the Commission said it will support national authorities with dedicated “country teams” and provide an additional €3 billion to help set up procedures and prevent unauthorised secondary movements — when people move between EU countries without permission after arrival.
The strategy also calls for more effective “return and readmission”, with the Commission noting that currently only about one in four people ordered to leave actually return, and it pointed to plans for a common EU return system based on a proposed Return Regulation that is under negotiation.
On labour migration, it said it would expand and launch “Talent Partnerships” with non-EU countries and simplify and speed up processes for recognising qualifications and skills.
Funding for the strategy would be supported through EU financing, including proposals linked to the next Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028–2034, with a proposal to dedicate at least €81 billion to home affairs policies and the “Global Europe” instrument.
