Home affairs ministers to discuss Ukraine, Schengen and EU’s migration and asylum reform

EU home affairs ministers will gather in Brussels on 3 March for a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council. Topics on the meeting agenda will include the state of Schengen and the reform of the EU’s migration and asylum policy. The ministers will also continue their discussions on the EU’s response to the situation in Ukraine. Minister of the Interior Krista Mikkonen will represent Finland at the meeting.

The home affairs ministers met last on Sunday 27 February to discuss the situation in Ukraine, including the Temporary Protection Directive. Activating the directive would mean that across the EU anyone eligible for temporary protection would be granted a residence permit that will give them access to the labour market. The residence permit would be valid for one year and it could be extended by two additional years. 

The ministers will examine the proposal to activate the directive, which the European Commission put forward on 2 March. The ministers will exchange views on who should have access to temporary protection, among other issues.

“Finland supports the proposal to activate the directive. It would quickly guarantee anyone in need of protection a similar status across the EU. We hope that the Member States will today give the green light for activating temporary protection and that details of the decision would be decided soon after,” Mikkonen says.

The Temporary Protection Directive is designed to address events of mass influx of third-country nationals to the EU when war, violence or human rights violations prevent them from returning to their home country.

French Presidency wants to reform and develop Schengen

The home affairs ministers will discuss the political governance of the Schengen area and the general state in the Schengen area. The French Presidency of the Council of the EU seeks to advance a reform of the Schengen system and measures to improve and enhance the functioning of the Schengen area. The aim is a system where Member State ministers direct the revision of Schengen and where the Schengen’s situation picture is maintained more efficiently at the political level.  

Finland endorses the adoption of a comprehensive approach to the revision of Schengen and to building the system on the basis of effective external border control, measures to compensate for the lack of internal border checks and a robust governance of the Schengen area. Finland stresses the role of the Member States, the Council and the Commission in ensuring the functioning of the Schengen area. 

The ministers will also discuss the adoption of a general approach on the proposal for a regulation on the Schengen evaluation and monitoring mechanism. 

Work on the EU’s migration and asylum reform continues

The ministers will review the progress achieved on the reform of the EU’s migration and asylum rules. The French Presidency has introduced a new approach with the aim of proceeding gradually, step-by-step, and of striving to meet the needs of all Member States as far as possible at each stage.

The Presidency is planning for the Member States to reach a general agreement on the content of the first step of the reform in the March Council. The plan will be further specified in the ministers’ later discussions. 

Conclusions on civil protection work in view of climate change will be adopted

The ministers will aim to adopt conclusions on civil protection work in view of climate change and a Council statement on Interpol red notices.

Inquiries:
Laura Yli-Vakkuri, Director General, tel. +358 40 720 22 16, [email protected]
Tiina Kivinen, Special Adviser, tel. +358 50 566 19 22, [email protected] (requests for interviews with Minister Mikkonen)