EU Leaders Tackle Migration Crisis: Balancing Borders and Values

European Union leaders are strategizing to manage migration, urging the European Commission to draft laws for faster returns of irregular migrants. Challenges like leaky borders and right-wing political influences pressure EU leaders to find solutions. Poland's temporary asylum suspension in response to Belarus and Russia's maneuvers is backed by the EU.

European Union leaders have taken a decisive step to tackle the ongoing migration issue, agreeing to utilize all available resources, including trade, development aid, and visa policies, to hasten the return of migrants entering illegally. They tasked the European Commission with drafting urgent legislation. Although the influx of irregular migrants is significantly down from the 2015 crisis, immigration remains a contentious topic.

Leaky EU borders threaten the Schengen passport-free travel area, contributing to the rise of far-right parties and altering election outcomes across Europe. In response, the European Council calls for vigorous measures to expedite migrant returns through diplomatic and other EU policy tools.

With only 20% of the 484,000 non-EU citizens ordered to leave last year actually returning, EC President Ursula von der Leyen pledged to improve these figures. In support of Poland, the EU backed its temporary halt on asylum applications, a response to what they labeled a 'hybrid attack' by Belarus and Russia. The discussion on 'return hubs' for asylum seekers is ongoing, though not all leaders are supportive.

(With inputs from agencies.)