The European Union calls on member states to voluntarily give up a sphere within their sovereignty, namely the freedom to shape migration policy, a stance often framed as a migration pact.
EU summit without conclusion on migration
After a two-day EU summit in Brussels, European Council President Charles Michel stated that the 27 EU countries could not reach a shared set of conclusions on migration policy. In Brussels, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki asserted that Poland rejects mandatory relocation and prefers a voluntary approach rather than a sweeping policy overhaul.
Earlier, EU interior ministers approved a negotiating position for reforming migration rules. This position will guide talks between the Council Presidency and the European Parliament. Poland and Hungary voted against backing the so-called migration pact. The pact is linked to a system of compulsory solidarity, proposing that while no state would be forced to relocate, an annual minimum number of relocations would be allocated from member states with higher inflows to those less exposed to arrivals.
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Poland proposes a border security program
Referring to the forced relocation proposal in an interview with PAP, the deputy head of the Ministry of Interior and Administration, Maciej Wąsik, said that the EU seeks to persuade Poland to surrender a policy domain guarded by member states, specifically the ability to shape migration policy, to a central mechanism.
This is framed as a treaty-backed guarantee, with a counteroffer that Poland would adopt a mechanism to “take or pay” the compulsory quota. There is also a suggestion that exemptions could apply for Poland given its reception of Ukrainian refugees, though such exemptions would depend on the European Commission’s stance.
Wasik noted that recent years have seen signs of pressure in this area and attempts to influence Polish domestic politics through EU decisions. He argued that as a large EU country with veto power, Poland could not accept such a mechanism and that a border security program was a preferable alternative, promoted by Prime Minister Morawiecki.
He urged the EU to strengthen border protections and allocate funds to neighbor countries to support border security and the broader Schengen area. He called for the EU to back measures that enhance border safety and to consider readmission of illegal migrants to their countries of origin as a means to curb smuggling networks.
He also stressed the need for better anti-smuggling efforts, including empowering Frontex to dismantle trafficking networks that profit from moving people across EU borders and through the Mediterranean. He recalled that the Mediterranean migratory crisis in 2015 saw tens of thousands of trafficking victims and that stronger action is needed.
Signal for smugglers
Asked whether forced relocation could raise migrant casualties, he answered that it could. If the EU appears to welcome large-scale illegal migration, smugglers may interpret it as a risk-free avenue, potentially encouraging more movement and signaling weakness in the Union.
“France burns”
The deputy minister noted that the debate on forced relocation comes amid a period when what is described as civil unrest is unfolding in France. He pointed to widespread scenes of vandalism, fires, and clashes as indicators of the broader consequences of migration policies pursued in Western Europe over recent decades. He urged Poland to stay safe and strengthen its own security as an investment for European stability.
In Brussels, Morawiecki’s stance was presented as a step toward enhancing national and European security. A prediction was offered that Europe might eventually adopt these measures, though not without debate and time, and with the caveat that it must not come too late.
Following the summit, EU leaders reiterated the lack of consensus on migration reform. The negotiating stance of EU interior ministers remains to shape talks between the Council Presidency and the European Parliament. Poland and Hungary maintained opposition to the migration pact and the idea of compulsory solidarity, which would set a minimum annual relocation target from higher- to lower-risk member states.
The council communiqué noted a 30,000 relocation target and a floor of 20,000 euros per year for moving costs. The figures could be revised upward based on yearly needs, while years without a solidarity requirement would also be considered. A senior EU diplomat described the choice as one between direct relocation and a financial countermeasure when relocation is not feasible.
In mid-June, the Sejm passed a resolution opposing the EU relocation mechanism, signaling strong governmental resistance. PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński suggested that the issue of migrant relocation within the EU should be subject to a public referendum.
Overall, the discussion centers on how Poland, with its veto power, should respond to EU proposals while safeguarding national security and border control capabilities, and how Europe can balance humanitarian obligations with practical borders management. This is the backdrop against which policy directions in Brussels and Warsaw continue to evolve, with ongoing debates and strategic responses from all sides.