The EU tightens visa policy to prevent the entry of immigrants

The EU wants to make its borders increasingly impenetrable. Brussels presented a new migration strategy and a further tightening of visa policy this Thursday. The aim of the measures is to reduce the entry of irregular migrants and increase the number of returns of recent arrivals who lack permits to live in the EU. One of the main new developments is that the European Commission intends to link the issuance of visas to cooperation with third countries on returns. In other words, Brussels wants one of the factors to be considered when accepting or denying these permits to be the ease and willingness of the applicant's country to accept their return if they overstay their authorized period of stay in the EU. The intention is to reduce the presence of migrants living irregularly in the Schengen Area, the EU's zone of free movement. The plan presented by the European Commission also foresees the suspension or restriction of visas for third countries that carry out hostile actions that could endanger the security of the European Union. Eastern European countries, for example, have frequently complained in Brussels that they have been victims of the manipulation of immigration by some states bordering the EU, such as Belarus. Furthermore, the European Commission proposes increasing the initial checks carried out by member states when issuing visas and improving coordination with national authorities and Frontex, the EU's border agency. "We want to bring order, with stronger borders and more effective returns," summarized European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner at a press conference. More agreements with third countries

In the new migration strategy, the European Commission insists on strengthening the agreements with third countries and by signing new agreements to halt migration routes and reduce the number of illegal entries into the EU. Brussels argues that this is one of the most effective measures against the arrival of migrants, although it is one of the most controversial points of the Migration and Asylum Plan, because it makes the European bloc dependent on third-party regimes, and offers few or no guarantees that these administrations respect humanitarian and international law when it comes to curbing migration routes.

In a press conference, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration openly encouraged member states to "use as leverage" to encourage third countries to curb the entry of migrants "investments in their countries and trade agreements to enable and facilitate returns." The vast majority of European partners already have agreements of this kind, as does the European Commission itself. One of the first pacts in this regard is that of Spain and Morocco, but those maintained with Tunisia, Egypt, Somalia, and Mauritania, among others, are also noteworthy.

Brussels puts its foot down on the PP and Vox

The latest attempt by the Spanish right to transfer national controversies to European institutions failed within hours. This occurred on the same day that the PP and Vox had announced they would file a complaint. the initiative promoted by the government of Pedro Sánchez Regarding the regularization of the situation of half a million immigrants living in the State, Brussels has pointed out that this is a measure that falls within the State's powers and that, therefore, the European Commission has no say in the matter.

The European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration responded at a press conference that the Moncloa decree has nothing to do with border control, which is the EU's responsibility, nor with reducing the number of immigrants entering the country. "The EU's job is to prevent and combat illegal immigration. But [Sánchez's measure] is a different matter. These are people who are already in a member state, and the member state has the authority to decide how to react and address the situation," Brunner pointed out. Furthermore, the EU official noted that in these cases it is also necessary to assess "whether there is a need for labor" and asserted that "this is what Spain is doing."