EU leaders debate migration, enlargement at summit in Spain

BRUSSELS

EU leaders are set to have difficult debates on migration policy as the informal EU summit kicked off on Friday in the Spanish city of Granada.

Hosted by the Spanish government that assumed the rotating presidency on the Council of the European Union in July, the EU heads of state and government are holding an informal meeting to discuss the most pressing current issues and the bloc’s long-term strategical priorities.

The reform of the EU’s migration and asylum policy is expected to be the most difficult topic on the agenda.

On the way to the summit, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said migration is a “multi-dimensional problem” that “affects all policies” of the EU’s external action.

He stressed the EU must “attack the root causes of migration,” and should consider the deployment of “advisory border controls” in North Africa and the Sahel region.

For her part, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said leaders will review options to structurally improve the EU’s migration policy, including “comprehensive partnership with the countries of transit or of origin, investment in these countries, and also the establishment of legal pathways and humanitarian corridors.”

Stressing that the EU must observe its international obligations, she explained that the bloc needs to get a “stricter” approach to the “return of those who are not eligible for asylum.”

After the deal of EU member states on a new EU legislation on migration crises, Von der Leyen expressed hopes that the bloc’s long-awaited migration reform will pass.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, however, ruled out accepting the deal on migration reform.

He argued Budapest has been “legally raped” to accept it, referring to the fact that EU member states secured the agreement with a qualified majority vote despite the opposition of Hungary and Poland.

The controversial draft allows EU countries to request solidarity contributions from other EU countries, including financial support, relocation of asylum-seekers, or taking over the procedures, when a great number of unexpected asylum-seekers arrive at their borders.

Enlargement

The EU leaders will also discuss EU enlargement at the summit after several top leaders called for speeding up the process and granting EU membership to candidate countries by 2030.

Von der Leyen stressed that the bloc must also do its “homework” to become able to welcome new members. There are currently eight official candidates waiting to join the EU, including Türkiye.

She stressed the EU has benefitted from the previous rounds of enlargement, and underlined that it brought “tremendous benefit” for old and new members.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo called the enlargement a “political necessity” and said the EU needs to set clear criteria for the candidates.

Asked about Ukraine’s EU membership perspective, Orban said it needs discussions as there are “many doubts” due to the country currently being at war.