Three points of the proposal
- Earmarked EU funding for border infrastructure, surveillance technology and the equipment of national border authorities.
- Binding return agreements as a condition for trade and development arrangements.
- Procedures for registration and screening outside the Schengen area, before entry takes place.
Whoever wants to preserve free movement within must protect the borders on the outside. The two belong together.
Co-Chairs of the ESN Group
The Group points out that competence for residence and citizenship matters remains with the national parliaments. It rejects the redistribution of asylum seekers through binding quotas; instead, member states with heavily burdened external borders should receive operational and financial support.
The proposal will be discussed in the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs during the June session week. The full document is available for download in the Newsroom; the Group’s press office is available for further questions.
