Home affairs ministers to discuss management of migration, preparedness and border security

The EU home affairs ministers will gather in Brussels on 12 December for a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council. The topics on the agenda include issues related to border security and responding to migration. Finland will be represented by Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.

The home affairs ministers will discuss innovative solutions related to migration, such as return hubs in third countries. There are still a number of questions concerning the return hubs that need to be clarified. Work on innovative solutions must be continued and specified.

“Increasing the efficiency of returns is one of Finland's priorities, and it requires comprehensive partnerships with key third countries. We have a range of tools in place for building partnerships, including the EU's collective leverage in visa, development and trade policies. These tools must be used more systematically in the EU,” says Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.

In addition to increasing the efficiency of returns, we must continue to make efforts to reduce migratory pressures. One of the key measures in this respect is addressing human smuggling, especially in countries of origin and transit.

Preparedness Union calls for new mindset

The meeting will also discuss the EU's joint preparedness for crises. Finland has proposed that the EU develop a Preparedness Union Strategy, and the European Commission is expected to issue the strategy in spring 2025. President Sauli Niinistö's report on strengthening Europe’s civil and military preparedness and readiness provides a good foundation for the strategy.

“In our model for comprehensive security, everyone has a role to play in preparedness. The Preparedness Union is a whole new way of thinking. Security must be taken into account in all EU policy areas,” Minister Rantanen says.

Support for Member States targeted by instrumentalised migration

On Wednesday 11 December, the Commission adopted a Communication to support Member States in countering hybrid threats from the weaponisation of migration and strengthening security at the EU's external borders.

“It is important that the Commission has recognised the changing situation at our external borders and is striving to support Finland and other Member States targeted by instrumentalised migration. The primary aim of instrumentalised migration is to undermine the sovereignty and national security of the target countries. It also seeks to challenge the integrity of our common external borders and the internal security of the Union as a whole,” says Minister Rantanen.

At the same time as it published the Communication, the Commission granted additional funding to several countries to enhance surveillance at the borders with Russia and Belarus. Finland will receive EUR 50 million in additional funding from the EU Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (BMVI) to strengthen surveillance at the eastern border.

Inquiries:

Laura Yli-Vakkuri, Director General, tel. +358 40 720 2216, firstname.lastname@gov.fi
Communications Unit, Ministry of the Interior, media.sm@gov.fi (requests for interviews with the Minister)