This immigration policy remains a flashpoint across Europe. Even after recent shifts in tone and style, it dominates debates among European leaders. An extraordinary summit in Brussels on Thursday focused on strengthening external border controls, increasing cooperation with third countries, and returning more people who lack legal status. The draft proposal also calls for mobilizing European funds, at the request of several delegations, to bolster national capacities, infrastructures, surveillance tools, and equipment at the borders.
The plan implies funding that could support the construction of border fences. “We need money for this, whether it is a fence or border infrastructure. Bulgaria needs help with border surveillance and personnel, and with technical equipment for border management, because a fence works only if surveillance is effective,” said a participant. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer cautioned that when secondary movements occur, the European partners must not be left isolated, noting that the burden falls not only on Bulgaria but also on Italy, France, and other frontline states.
Diplomats argue that stepping up action at the external frontiers reduces concern about secondary movements elsewhere. The European Commission cites data showing a 21% decline in migrant flows to Spain, while other routes have grown. The Western Balkans route rose by 136% last year. Eastern Mediterranean inflows increased by 108%, and Central Mediterranean migrations grew 51%.
Other focal points in Europe
Greece aims to press the EU to do more to protect its external borders and to keep seeking European support and resources for border protection. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis pointed to the Evros border fence project as a concrete example of the infrastructure being built on the Turkish frontier. Lithuania has also launched a 480-kilometer fence along its border with Belarus. The trio of countries — Austria, Greece, and Lithuania — joined with Slovakia, Latvia, Estonia, and Malta in a letter to the European Commission requesting greater funding and tools to defend borders and limit entry. The discussion underscores a belief that physical barriers must be complemented by robust legal frameworks to counter illegal migration and the instrumentalization of migration as a political tool. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda highlighted the mass arrivals witnessed at the Belarusian border in 2021 and stressed the need to prevent similar episodes in the future. Italy, facing its own migration dynamics, urged measures to curb irregular arrivals by sea, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni signaling support for policies that help manage irregular migration more effectively.
Not all member states share the same stance. Some voices argue that more fences alone will not solve the problem. Luxembourg’s Xavier Bettel cautioned against financing walls, warning that a fortress Europe would not be a desirable outcome. The question remains whether new fences and other investments are the right path for long term border management.
State aid considerations
The European Union members are also preparing to discuss state aid as part of the summit’s agenda. They will consider how to restart European competitiveness and respond to protectionist pressures from third countries, including the United States and China. The debate will examine the reform of state aid rules to balance flexibility with the need to avoid distortion and fragmentation of the single market. Spanish government sources indicate support for a middle ground: allowing more flexible state aid with higher reporting thresholds, but with time and sector restrictions. The aim is to focus on green investments in the coming years, while maintaining a clear framework. Other delegations share concern that too much tweaking could fracture the European market given the different fiscal capacities across the 27 member states. Germany and France are among those stressing the need for a disciplined approach that preserves market unity while enabling strategic flexibility.