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Thematic and regional developments

25 November 2024

17 new documents, many of them concerning the secretive Coordination Group on Migration.

The majority of the documents published with this bulletin relate to the Coordination Group on Migration (CGM), and appear to date from 2021 or 2022. While they do not give an insight into recent developments, they offer useful information on the work of the CGM, the types of project discussed within the group, and the vast quantities of development aid being spent on projects geared, in one way or another, to externalised migration control.

We are also publishing a Frontex presentation on “Risk Analysis at Air Borders,” which makes clear how people seeking asylum are considered a “risk” in EU border policy; and another presentation by Frontex on its cooperation with non-EU states in 2023. We are awaiting responses to requests for a substantial number of other documents, and will publish those in the document archive as and when they arrive.

All the documents summarised here, and those published with previous editions of the bulletin, are contained in our document archive, which also contains sections on:

• Coordination Group on Migration
• European Council
• External Aspects of Migration Working Party (EMWP)
• Justice and Home Affairs Council
• Operational Mechanism for External Dimension of Migration (MOCADEM)
• Strategic Committee on Frontiers, Immigration and Asylum (SCIFA)
• Visa Working Party
• Working Party on Frontiers
• Working Party on Integration, Migration and Expulsion (IMEX)

Contents

• Border management
• Budgets and funding
• Deportation and readmission
• Migration partnerships
• Other

Border management

Risk Analysis at Air Borders

• Key points
  • A presentation by Frontex outlining the aims of risk analysis at air borders
  • It notes that the “Air Borders Risk Analysis Network” produces weekly updates on refusals of entry, asylum applications, “illegal stay/over-stayers,” and other categories of information
  • It includes numbers on how many individuals of certain nationalities applied for asylum, and at which airports in the EU, thus placing asylum-seekers as a “risk” that requires analysis and intervention
• From: Frontex
• To: Working Party on Integration, Migration and Expulsion
• Document date: 29 October 2024
• Document number: WK 13482/2024 INIT

 

Strengthening the operational capacity of the Egyptian Navy and Border Guards in managing migration flows and provide Search and Rescue at sea

• Key points
  • Aims at “the prevention of irregular crossings by Egyptians and other nationality migrants living or transiting in Egypt”
  • The project’s “stakeholders” include the Egyptian Ministry of Defence, and others whose names are censored
• From: Unknown
• To: Coordination Group on Migration
• Document date: Undated, released 30 October 2024

 

Enhance international cooperation against migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings in North Africa

• Key points
  • A project that aims to “strengthen law enforcement’s capacity across North Africa to effectively investigate and prosecute organized crime groups engaging in migrant smuggling and, as appropriate, trafficking in human beings”
  • This will be done by increasing the ability of police forces to “manage, share, analyse, and use police information” and to “conduct cooperative targeted police operations”
  • The project foresees possible cooperation with Interpol and EU justice and home affairs agencies
• From: Unknown
• To: Coordination Group on Migration
• Document date: Undated, released 30 October 2024

 

Project fiche: Support to Cross-Border Cooperation and Integrated Border Management in North Africa

• Key points
  • A proposed project based in North Africa (no more specific location is stated) attempting to tackle “organized crime groups, including those involved in migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings”
  • The budget is censored
  • The project is “part of both the Central Mediterranean migration route Team Europe Initiative and the Western Mediterranean and Atlantic migration route Team Europe Initiative”
• From: Unknown
• To: Coordination Group on Migration
• Document date: Undated, released 30 October 2024

 

Libya and Tunisia, “EU Support for Border Management Institutions in Libya and Tunisia” Action Document

• Key points
  • Proposes €45 million for maritime rescue centres, border surveillance, and coast guard training in Libya and Tunisia, framed as a humanitarian search and rescue objective, despite political instability and the potential risk of "critical security conditions" impeding the project
  • Emphasizes “prevention of departures” and increasing surveillance capabilities through technical support and training programs, with €5 million specifically allocated to complete Tunisia's coastal surveillance system
  • Would establish a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre and Border Guard Training Academy in Libya, funding the expansion of Tunisian coastal patrol capabilities with a training academy, and maintain “complementary land border management actions”
• From/Author: Commission services
• To: Coordination Group on Migration
• Document date: 5 July 2021

 

Budgets and funding

List of projects presented by the Commission services (FPI, INTPA and NEAR) to the Coordination Group on Migration at its meetings of 3.12.2021, 17.02.2022, 01.04.2022, 17.06.2022, 19.10.2022, 16.11.2022, 24.11.2022 and 25.01.2023

• Key points
  • A list of projects using development aid for achieving migration policy goals, divided up by geographical region: Americas, Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, Eastern Europe, Eastern Mediterranean, and “Global”
  • The projects make use of the “migration marker” discussed in a separate note
  • “This is a living document, destined to be progressively expanded and improved,” indicating that there may be subsequent versions
• From: European Commission
• To: Coordination Group on Migration
• Document date: Undated, released 30 October 2024

 

Note for the attention of INTPA, FPI and NEAR Senior Management and Heads of Delegation (Guidance note on migration marker in NDICI-Global Europe)

• Key points
  • Guidance note establishing rules for tracking EU spending on migration-related actions in third countries, in response to the requirement that the NDICI-Global Europe funding instrument (the EU's main development aid and external cooperation funding tool for 2021–2027) dedicate 10% of its funds towards “actions supporting management and governance of migration and forced displacement”
  • Notes that development projects funded through NDICI-GE count towards “achieving the migration spending target” if they “address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement” but only “when they directly target specific challenges related to migration and forced displacement”
  • Gives instructions on designing projects that are relevant to meeting the migration spending target; that such projects should analyse the migration situation in the country in which the action will take place, directly target migration “challenges,” and monitor and report on “migration-related results”
• From: European Commission
• To: European Commission and member state officials
• Document date: 1 August 2021
• Document number: Intpa.g.6 (2021)6244514

 

Discussions held at the 4th, 6th and 7th Migration Coordination Group Meetings Flexible Mechanism for Migration and Forced Displacement 17 June, 16 November and 24 November respectively

• Key points
  • Outlines projects funded by a new €200 million "Flexible Mechanism" funding instrument under NDICI-Global Europe, intended to “maximize EU leverage” and incentivize Sub-Saharan Africa partner countries’ cooperation with the EU on migration control
  • The mechanism approved funding for projects in Niger (€13M to support Nigerian police in the “fight against criminal networks linked to irregular migration”), Mauritania (€20M on vocational training, education about “migration risks” and information on local employment opportunities to “avoid secondary movement towards the EU”), Kenya (€15M to transform refugee camps into long term settlements) and Uganda (€15M to support Uganda in developing policies and providing services to influx of refugees mainly from DRC)
  • Notes discussion and feedback by Member states on each project and responses; for example several Member States (FR, NL, ES) questioned whether the Uganda forced displacement project should be funded through this mechanism, rather than other instruments which are earmarked for displacement, to which the CGM replied that the stability of the region was “of strategic importance for the EU”
• From/Author: The Secretariat of the Coordination Group on Migration
• To: Coordination Group on Migration
• Document date: 13 December 2022

 

Deportation and readmission

Support for the protection and economic and social integration of Tunisian returnees, displaced populations and host communities in Tunisia and Morocco

• Key points
  • A project aiming to “improve access to protection and economic
  • and social integration for Tunisians [sic] returnees, displaced populations and host communities in Tunisia and Morocco”
  • The document notes: “It is essential to create local opportunities for Tunisian youth, in order to have perspectives other than that of departure to succeed, but also at the same time to strengthen the support mechanism for the return”
  • The proposed budget is censored
• From: Unknown
• To: Coordination Group on Migration
• Document date: Undated, released 30 October 2024

 

Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt “Supporting Sustainable Protection, Return and Reintegration in North Africa” Action Document

• Key points
  • Proposes a 3-year, €60 million program beginning in 2022 to work with North Africa partner countries to return stranded or detained migrants to their countries of origin, and to support “sustainable reintegration” of North Africa region returnees from EU
  • Frames the action as “supporting voluntary returns,” while acknowledging an “urgent lack of effective protection and sufficient assistance” faced by migrants in the region (particularly Libya), and the “limited channels” for legal migration
  • The action intends to strengthen partner countries' capacity to return migrants to countries of origin, and increase partner countries’ “ownership” over that process, while collecting data about the project and migration flows for future use
  • The action overlaps with, and works in collaboration with, several interlocking existing reintegration programs in the region by IOM, ICMPD, civil society, EU member states, and more, and acknowledges that “shortcomings on coordination” with these programs are a problem the action hopes to solve
• From/Author: Commission services
• To: Coordination Group on Migration
• Document date: 3 December 2021

 

Migration partnerships

EU support to legal migration, mobility and skills partnerships with North of African countries

• Key points
  • Aims to build on other projects including THAMM, but “will focus more on the human capital development sector; will foster a stronger involvement of the private sector; will set up a stronger coordination mechanisms in partner countries to strengthen national authorities’ ownership”
  • The proposed budget and duration are censored
• From: Unknown
• To: Coordination Group on Migration
• Document date: Undated, released 30 October 2024

 

Presentation: Cooperation between Frontex and third countries in 2023

• Key points
  • Gives an overview of Frontex's work with non-EU states in 2023, noting "concrete operational results" and an increase in deportations supported by Frontex of 60% as key results
  • Pre-accession countries have "utmost priority in the external dimensions"
  • Nine EU Return Liaison Officers were deployed in 2023, covering 13 different non-EU states
• From: Frontex
• To: Working Party on External Aspects of Asylum and Migration (EMWP)
• Document date: 20 September 2024
• Document number: WK 11796/2024 INIT
• Classification: LIMITE

 

Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia, “Towards a Holistic Approach to Labour Migration Governance and Labour Mobility in North Africa” (THAMM III)

• Key points
  • Proposes a €5 million action to promote EU-approved "legal migration pathways" between North African countries and EU Member States through training and mobility schemes, a continuation of previous pilots and phases (THAMM I and THAMM II)
  • Discusses continued facilitation of cooperation with North African countries on labor migration and mobility schemes through support for vocational training, skills matching, and institution building that will be “mutually beneficial for both societies and labour markets in Europe”
  • As with previous THAMM initiatives, no mention of relaxing EU visa policy (only a passing mention of working with consulates and supporting “legal migration management”) - the proposed activities focus is on analysing the EU’s labour market needs, setting up vocational trainings, and encouraging exchange partnerships between EU and North African institutions
• From/Author: Commission services
• To: Coordination Group on Migration
• Document date: 2 August 2021

 

Other

Strengthen protection and resilience of Refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in vulnerable situation in Egypt

• Key points
  • A project in Egypt for “basic service delivery and access to basic services, mainly health and education protection of unaccompanied minors and young adults via family reunification and child protection”
  • The budget and proposed duration are both censored
• From: Unknown
• To: Coordination Group on Migration
• Document date: Undated, released 30 October 2024

 

Libya, “Increasing protection and resilience of migrants, forcibly displaced persons and host communities in Libya” Action Document

• Key points
  • Proposes a €55 million action carried out in Libya through grants and NGO partners to increase protection and aid to forcibly displaced people, including employment and evacuations, alongside “awareness raising” about the risks of smuggling, and protection against smuggling
  • Details "dire" conditions in Libyan detention facilities, including lack of food, water, ventilation and sanitation, extreme overcrowding, absence of female guards leading to high risk of sexual violence, and limited humanitarian agency access
  • Project is presented as aligning with New Pact on Migration and Asylum, focusing on protection and assistance while acknowledging Libya remains the major hub for irregular migration to Europe across the Central Mediterranean route
• From/Author: Commission services
• To: Coordination Group on Migration
• Document date: 2 August 2021

 

Coordination group on migration under the NDICI - Global Europe and the Member States' bilateral cooperation instruments – founding letter and rules of procedure

• Key points
  • A founding letter & rules of procedure document that establishes the Coordination Group on Migration, an informal group between the European Commission and EU Member States to “exchange information and views to ensure coordination and coherence” on the use of NDICI – Global Europe funds to “support external migration-related actions”
  • The group's objectives are to “ensure maximum synergies between EU and Member State actions,” while avoiding duplication of effort, through information exchange on planned migration projects in third countries
  • Explains that CGM meetings are intended to provide a forum for Member states to discuss implementation and coordination of future projects, and to monitor progress toward the NDICI-GE’s target of spending 10% of its external development and aid budget on migration related projects, including a means to provide updates to the European Parliament and Council on this progress
• From: General Secretariat of the Council
• To: Working Party on Development Cooperation and International Partnerships
• Document date: 21 November 2022
• Document number: WK 16046/22
• Classification: LIMITE
• Censored: Yes

 

Coordination group on migration under the NDICI - Global Europe and the Member States’ bilateral cooperation instruments - Terms of Reference (ToR)

• Key points
  • The group is "an informal special group created by the Commission," made up of "the relevant European Commission’s services and the EEAS, and the relevant EU Member States’ authorities"
  • The purpose of the group is "to exchange information and views to ensure coordination and coherence between the use of NDICI – Global Europe funds to support external migration-related actions and Member States’ migration-related actions"
  • Three types of item are considered for discussion in the group: "Exchange on the implementation orientations"; Coordination discussions in view of future projects; and Information on approved projects
• From/Author: European Commission
• To: Unknown
• Document date: 11 November 2021
• Document number: Ares(2021)6942056
• Classification: None