EU Commission calls on member states to act together on migration

BRUSSELS

The European Commission head on Thursday called on EU member countries to act together on migration, saying the bloc to must enhance border monitoring on the Mediterranean and Western Balkans routes that migrants use to get to Europe.

In a letter to leaders of the EU member states, Ursula von der Leyen said irregular migration to the bloc’s borders has reached its highest level since 2016, when countries faced a crisis over people trying to cross into their borders without authorization.

She stressed that the solution to the immigration issue is to act jointly and to renew its legal framework, adding that until a new pact on migration and asylum is issued, the response to the issue will always be incomplete.

Von der Leyen also said work on the Western Balkans and Central Mediterranean migration routes will continue, adding that they will work for a more coordinated approach for search and rescue efforts in accidents involving migrant boats at sea.

She said she also wanted to facilitate cooperation between EU countries and privately owned search and rescue vessels.

On the 2016 EU-Türkiye, migration deal, she also underlined they will make the necessary efforts to ensure its full implementation.

Türkiye has complained that while it upheld its end of the March 2016 migration deal, the EU did not, such as providing visa liberalization and giving Türkiye €6 billion ($6.25 billion) to help deal with the migrants.