The European Commission is scheduled to convene a meeting this Monday to discuss an Action Plan for the Western Balkans. The goal is to address migrant flows and strengthen management efforts along the routes used last year by entrants to the European Union. This plan emerges ahead of a focused summit between the European Union and Western Balkan partners held in Tirana.
During the eve of the summit, Margaritis Schinas, the Vice President of the European Commission for Promoting the European Way of Life, participated virtually from Stockholm, alongside Ylva Johansson, European Commissioner for Home Affairs. They unveiled the initiative and described it as a framework containing 20 urgent actions designed to reduce arrivals and stabilize migratory pressures. The speakers expressed confidence that the package could be adopted promptly and deliver measurable results in controlling irregular migration.
This year has seen a sharp uptick in migrant numbers attempting to reach the EU through the Western Balkans, with figures resonating with trends last observed during the 2015 refugee crisis. Several Balkan states, together with Central European neighbors such as Austria and the Czech Republic, have stepped up border controls to curb irregular crossings. The intensified security posture has already become a focal point in regional political debate.
The Western Balkans Action Plan outlines twenty practical measures organized into five strategic pillars. These include strengthening border management along key routes, expediting asylum procedures where feasible, and expanding reception capacity to handle new arrivals effectively. The plan also prioritizes operational readiness for winter conditions and ensures robust cooperation with host countries and transit states.
Brussels intends to work closely with Western Balkan authorities to develop contingency plans and bolster readmission and return processes. Part of the strategy involves a new return coordination program introduced for development in 2023, aimed at enhancing alignment between the Western Balkans and the countries of origin of migrants. This approach is designed to streamline cooperation and establish clear return pathways.
A central element of the plan concerns visa policy. Schinas stressed that allowing visa-free access for Western Balkan countries to third countries that exploit gaps would be unacceptable. He asserted that aligning visa regimes with EU standards is essential to prevent unlawful entries and reduce vulnerabilities in the system. The Commission pointed to recent cases where nationals from India, Tunisia, and Burundi entered the EU via Western Balkan routes, underscoring the need for tighter controls and coordination.
The Commission recalled existing agreements with Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, and North Macedonia that support migration management and authorize Frontex to deploy border and coast guard units through joint operations in the region. The proposed plan also envisions stronger Frontex-led operations and faster-negotiated new agreements, which will be discussed by EU interior ministers at the upcoming Council meeting. In this context, joint operations and deployments are expected to receive renewed emphasis, reinforcing collective security and international cooperation in safeguarding external borders.