Central European countries form working groups to tackle migration

Interior ministers from Germany, Austria, Czechia, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary have agreed to create a joint working group to tackle illegal immigration to the region during a meeting in Hungary on Monday.

The joint working group will consist of officers responsible for border protection in their respective countries. They also agreed on the need to strengthen the protection of EU external borders.

“We all agreed today that controls at the internal borders of the Schengen area are not desirable in the long term,” said Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan after the meeting with his counterparts.

Due to increased illegal crossings across internal borders in central Europe, countries have decided to introduce temporary controls in recent weeks. These should last until the beginning of 2024.

“That is why we also supported establishing a joint expert group to propose border measures for the next period based on an assessment of the situation. This will ensure a common coordinated approach within Central Europe,” Rakušan added.

Negotiations on the new EU’s migration and asylum policy are still ongoing. Rakušan calls for a solution that would involve everyone in the EU.

“Consistent and intensified control of the EU’s external border and a clear return policy is the direction we should take together,” the Czech minister said, adding that a comprehensive approach to migration is needed in this regard, which requires more adequate funding, mutually beneficial strategic partnerships with countries of origin and transit, addressing the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, and strengthening the border protection and management capacities of transit countries.

(Aneta Zachová | Euractiv.cz)