“We want to establish a real Schengen Council to steer the Schengen area, like what we have been able to do for the euro zone”, explained Emmanuel Macron, in Tourcoing (North) before the European Ministers of the Interior. who must work on the subject in Lille on Thursday and Friday. The French president deplored the absence of “a real concerted policy of anticipation and planning” in the face of crises at the external borders.
Regularly bringing together the competent ministers around a “coordinator”, a steering council could be held for the first time on March 3, the date of the next meeting of ministers, he wished. “This council can become the face of a strong Europe,” he insisted.
“Serious vulnerabilities” at the borders
EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson hailed a “very good idea”. “Today we have serious vulnerabilities. Last year Frontex estimated that 39 million people entered the Schengen area without being checked in the Schengen Information System,” she said.
Another recommendation developed by Mr. Macron, the creation of “a solidarity and rapid intervention mechanism in the event of a crisis at the external borders of the Union”. “This platform would be, basically, the armed wing of the new Schengen Council on the ground,” explained the French president. It would allow “rapid mobilization of European and bilateral resources in crisis situations, complementing the action of Frontex”.
Support “for the countries of first arrival of migrants”
Third proposal: “Establish a common asylum and immigration policy”. Aware of the divisions between European countries on this subject, he proposed a gradual approach, starting with financial support for the countries of first arrival of migrants. Its objective, “increased convergence of asylum systems”, starting by resolving “the obvious dysfunctions of the Dublin regulations”.
Finally, the EU must apply “a more operational and more united policy” with regard to the expulsion of illegal migrants to their country of origin. “This supposes working with the countries of departure and transit” to “adapt our visa policy with regard to non-cooperative third countries in terms of readmission, but in a European and coordinated way”.
The summit between the African Union and the European Union on February 17 and 18 “will be the occasion for a strong impetus in this area”, he said.