EU home affairs ministers to discuss improving effectiveness of returns and anticipating changes in migration 

EU home affairs ministers will gather in Luxembourg on 1 October for a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council. The topics on the agenda include improving the effectiveness of returns and enhancing cooperation with third countries. The ministers will also discuss migration situational awareness and how to better anticipate changes in migration flows. Finland will be represented at the meeting by Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.

“Changes in migration flows and at the external borders need to be detected early so that we can prevent any potential crises even before they occur. While EU agencies support the Member States, the primary responsibility for ensuring situational awareness in crises and for sharing this awareness lies with the Member States themselves. Preparedness and contingency planning must be in place. Ultimately, it is important to take timely action at the operational level,” says Minister Rantanen.

The ministers will hold their discussion against the backdrop of the current migration situation and the events in Ceuta in late July and early August. 

In recent years, EU agencies have reinforced their data collection and analysis capabilities, thus improving knowledge-based decision-making concerning migration. However, responding to sudden crises also requires assessing new possibilities and ensuring as up-to-date situational awareness information as possible. The ministers will discuss how monitoring social media could contribute to situational awareness and serve as an early warning tool when monitoring changes in migration flows.

Credible consequences needed for countries that refuse to readmit their own citizens