The EMWP received its mandate in mid-2021, although it is considered to be a successor to High Level Working Group on Asylum and Migration, which started functioning in 1998. The EMWP is responsible for taking forward discussions on the “tailor-made and mutually beneficial EU approach towards countries and regions of origin,” providing general guidance on improving the externalisation agenda, examining ways to improve cooperation between the EU and member states, and developing EU positions with regard to particular countries.
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Please note: All documents listed (whether officially numbered or referred to otherwise, for example as a presentation) have been requested by Statewatch. If there is a link to the document, the request was successful or it has been obtained via other means. If there is no link to a document, the request is still pending. Where access has been refused or only partial access has been granted a note is included. Text in square brackets is an addition to the original agenda.
Format: 2+ 2 (Presidency 2+2)
1. Adoption of the agenda
2. Article 25a of the Visa Code
– Presentation by the Presidency
= Exchange of views
3. Migratory situation on the Western Mediterranean and Atlantic routes
– Presentation by the Presidency
– Information by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
12988/24 (to be issued)
4. The current migratory situation in Afghanistan
– Presentation by the ICRC
– Information by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
12991/24 (to be issued)
5. Annual report on cooperation between Frontex and third countries in 2023
– Presentation by Frontex
– Information by the Commission
= Exchange of views
6. Follow-up on the implementation of the Talent Partnerships
– Presentation by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
7. AOB
– EU-U.S. SOM on JHA (Brussels, 17-18 October)
- Information by the Presidency
– Commission’s planned engagement on the implementation of the “Toolbox addressing the use of commercial means of transport to facilitate irregular migration to the EU” including with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)
- Information by the Commission
Format: 2+ 2 (Presidency 2+2)
1. Adoption of the agenda
2. Presentation of the priorities of the Hungarian Presidency
– Presentation by the Presidency
3. Migratory situation on the Central Mediterranean route (Tunisia, Libya, Egypt)
– Presentation by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
11373/24 (to be issued)
4. Libya: strategic discussion on the follow-up to recent developments
– Presentation by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
5. The current situation in Sudan and its impact on the region
– Presentation by UNHCR and IOM
– Presentation by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
11375/24 (to be issued)
6. Update on the state of play of external cooperation in the field of migration policy
– Presentation by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
11374/24 (to be issued)
7. AOB
– EU - US Ministerial Meeting on JHA, 20-21 June 2024, Brussels
= Debrief by the Presidency
– Budapest Process Senior Officials Meeting, 27 June 2024, Stockholm
= Debrief by the Presidency
Format: 2+ 2 (Presidency 2+2)
1. Adoption of the agenda
2. Migration situation in the Great Lakes region
– Presentation by ICRC and UNHCR
– Information by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
3. State of play in the field of financing of external migration-related activities, including the Team Europe initiatives
– Presentation by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
4. State of play of cooperation of the EU with Tunisia
– Presentation by IOM
– Presentation by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) (tbc)
– Information by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
5. State of play of cooperation of the EU with Morocco
– Information by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
6. Overview of the activities and achievements during the BE Presidency
7. Presentation of the priorities of the upcoming HU Presidency
8. AOB
– Missing Migrants: follow-up of the discussion at EMWP on 14 March 2024
– Information by the Presidency WK 7772/24 (to be issued)
– EU - US Ministerial Meeting on JHA on 20 and 21 June 2024
– Information by the Presidency on the preparation of the meeting
– Tackling Migrant Smuggling in the Digital Domain – Conference on 29 and 30 April 2024
– Debrief by the Commission
– Khartoum Process
– Information by the Commission on governance and EU MS Chairmanship in 2025
1. Adoption of the agenda
2. Partnerships for skills mobility – Follow-up on Conference held on 22 March 2024 organised by ICMPD, EPC, ENABEL and Egmont Institute
– Presentation of the background document by the organizers of the Conference
= Exchange of views
WK 6102/2024 (to be issued)
3. Post-return assistance and sustainable reintegration: coordination between actors and engagement of countries of origin – Follow-up on Fedasil Conference held on 19-20 March 2024
– Presentation by the Presidency
= Exchange of views
8069/24 (to be issued)
Afternoon session
4. Migration situation on the Eastern Mediterranean route [footnote: Frontex, Europol and EUAA are invited to participate to the discussions on this item.]
– Presentation by IOM and UNHCR
– Information by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
5. Future of the Budapest Process: Towards the new Ministerial Declaration and Action Plan - Ministerial Conference on 11-12 November in Budapest
– Presentation by the Hungarian delegation
= Exchange of views
6. AOB
– Local and regional networks of the European Network of Immigration Liaison Officers - Follow-up to the EMWP on 14 March
- Information by the Presidency
– Khartoum Process – Senior Official Meeting, Cairo 17-18 April 2024
- Information by the Commission and by the German delegation
– Meetings with Pakistan: Talent Partnership roundtable, Joint Readmission Committee, Migration and Mobility Dialogue on 23-25 April 2024
- Information by the Commission
– North Macedonia joining the European Migration Network (EMN) as an Observer
- Information by the Commission
– Meeting with Libya: technical mission on 16 May
- Information by the Commission
1. Adoption of the agenda
2. Missing migrants along the migratory routes to the EU: challenges and EU response
– Presentation by ICRC, UNICEF and IOM [And: UNICEF Libya key advocacy messages on missing migrants]
– Intervention by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
WK 2371/2024 (to be issued)
3. Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the evaluation in accordance with Article 121 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 November 2019 on the European Border and Coast Guard and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1052/2013 and (EU) 2016/1624, with a specific focus on the section related to the external dimension (articles 71 to 77)
– Presentation by the Presidency [Frontex is invited to participate to the discussions on this subitem.]
– Presentation by the Commission [Frontex is invited to participate to the discussions on this subitem.]
– Intervention by Frontex [Frontex is invited to participate to the discussions on this subitem.]
= Exchange of views
5490/24 [The Commission's report on the external evaluation of Frontex. The report was also discussed in SCIFA on 20 February 2024. There are two annexes to the report that are not listed in this agenda: ADD 1, an action plan; and ADD 2, the external evaluation itself.]
6565/24 (to be issued) ['Presidency discussion paper – Evaluation of the European Border and Coast Guard Regulation – Cooperation with third countries'. A separate discussion paper on the evaluation report was circulated prior to the SCIFA meeting on 20 February 2024.]
4. Coordination of the local and regional networks of the European Network of Immigration Liaison Officers: Challenges and opportunities
– Presentation by the Presidency [Frontex is invited to participate to the discussions on this subitem.]
– Presentation by the Commission [Frontex is invited to participate to the discussions on this subitem.]
– Intervention by Frontex [Frontex is invited to participate to the discussions on this subitem.]
= Exchange of views
7245/24 (to be issued) [A discussion paper circulated by the Belgian Council Presidency, which notes that a discussion on the topic was held in IMEX (Expulsion) on 8 February, but the aim is "to broaden the scope of the discussion beyond the field of return... “Given the existence of the different types of European liaison officers and of those posted by the Member States, with corresponding mandates and administrative arrangements, there is a need to closely coordinate on the priority countries for their deployments"]
5. Follow-up on the implementation of the action plans on Pakistan and Afghanistan [Frontex, EUAA and Europol are invited to participate to the discussions on this item.]
– Overview by UNHCR of the situation of refugees in Pakistan and in neighbouring countries
– Presentation by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
6. Follow-up on the implementation of the action plan on Libya [Frontex, EUAA and Europol are invited to participate to the discussions on this item.]
– Presentation by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
7. AOB
- EU-U.S. Senior Officials Meeting (SOM), 11/12 March, on JHA and kick off meeting, 25 January, on EU-US Irregular Migration Cooperation - Information by the Presidency and the Commission
- Expert Conference on return and reintegration, organised by FEDASIL, ICMPD and Frontex – Antwerp, 19-20 March 2024 – Information by the Presidency
- Conference on “Mobility and labour dynamics after the EU Year of Skills: Are we fit for the future?”, organised by Egmont Institute, the ICMPD, the EPC and Enabel – Brussels, 22 March 2024 – Information by the Presidency
1. Adoption of the agenda
2. EUROMED Process – Presentation by ICMPD = Exchange of views
3. Update on the state of play of external cooperation in the field of migration policy
– Presentation by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
5484/24 [The document was reported on by Migration-Control.info here. A previous version is available here.]
4. Migratory consequences of the situation in Niger on the Central and Western Mediterranean routes
– Presentation by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
5. Follow-up with Mauritania on migratory issues
– Presentation by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
5489/24 [A note from the Commission: 'Commission's intention to enter into negotiation for a non-legally binding framework document on behalf of the EU to launch a migration partnership and dialogue with the Islamic Republic of Mauritania'. See analysis of the note here.]
6. AOB
– Budapest Process Annual Senior Officials Meeting, 5 December 2023, Istanbul – Information by HU
– 14th Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD)-Summit, 23-25 January 2024, Geneva – Information by FR
– Regional Review of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Region– 11 March 2024 – Information by the Presidency
– Samoa Agreement – Chapter on Migration and Mobility – Information by the Presidency
– EU-U.S. SOM on JHA, 11-12 March 2024 – Information by the Presidency
1. Adoption of the agenda
2. Safe Mobility Offices
– Presentation by the US Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration
= Exchange of views
[This presentation has been requested, but so far has not been released. Document 15533/23, listed under item 4 in the agenda, includes the statement: "For example, the US-sponsored (and IOM- and UNHCR-driven) Safe Mobility Offices (SMOs) in Guatemala, Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador – which could be expanded to other Latin American countries – are formally intended to facilitate access to legal migration channels, family reunification and access to temporary work visas for migrants who want to reach the US or third countries including Spain."]
3. State of play in the field of financing of external migration-related activities, including the Team Europe initiatives
– Presentation by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
15986/23 + ADD 1, ADD 2 [A report by the Commission that provides a useful overview of spending on the EU's "external action", including migration-related projects, but no detail on what is being done beyond general descriptions.]
4. New legal pathways: Labour migration
– Presentation by the Presidency and the Commission
= Exchange of views
15533/23 [The document, a discussion paper produced by the Spanish Council Presidency, notes the EU's need for labour migration and says: "Consequently, more attention must be paid to expanding legal migration channels, making Europe an attractive place to work for third-country nationals with the skills and talents needed in Europe for our economies to thrive. Opening legal migration pathways to Europe will also contribute to reducing irregular migration flows. Measures to mobilise the domestic workforce through reskilling and upskilling initiatives, activating groups with lower labour market participation and promoting intra-EU mobility should be a top priority."]
5. EU Action Plan on the Eastern Mediterranean migration route
– Presentation by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
6. Activities during the ES Presidency – summing-up
7. Presentation of the priorities of the upcoming BE Presidency
8. AOB
- EU-WB Ministerial Forum on JHA (Skopje, 26-27 October)
- EU-U.S. Ministerial Meeting (Washington D.C., 13-14 November)
- EUROMED Migration V Peer-to-Peer Conference on ‘Migration Capacity Partnerships in Times of Polycrisis’ (Alexandria, 6-8 November)
- Outreach to Somalian authorities
1. Adoption of the agenda
2. Implementation of the Pact - Follow-up on the implementation of the action plan on Tunisia
– Presentation by the Commission and the EEAS
= Exchange of views
3. Migratory situation in Mauritania
– Presentation by the Presidency
= Exchange of views
13049/23 [A paper written to set out the EU’s ongoing cooperation with Mauritania on migration, and to set out current relations with the country. It was reported on by Migration-Control.info here.]
4. A Gender perspective in relation to migration
– Presentation by the Presidency
= Exchange of views
13048/23 [A discussion paper produced by the Spanish Council Presidency: "There is a need to recognise women migrants and female asylum seekers as a separate group, naming and including them, not just under a single category of “vulnerable” people, but as a group with particular needs, causes and migration pathways, often different from those of men." Concludes with questions for delegations.]
5. Impact of the crisis in Sudan on the displacement situation in the region
– Presentation by the Presidency
= Exchange of views
13050/23 [Discussion paper circulated by the Spanish Council Presidency. It notes prior to the war that Sudan hosted around a million refugees and that there were over four million internally displaced people, as well as at least 20 million people in an acute situation of food insecurity: “This, in turn, could lead to increased displacement and migration.” It notes the need to monitor the situation closely in order to determine "whether the Sudanese hosted in neighbouring countries are considering engaging in secondary movement or the newly displaced within Sudan will also decide to flee to neighbouring countries."
6. AOB
1. Adoption of the agenda
2. Contribution of diasporas in the EU to their countries of origin
- Presentation by IOM and ICMPD
= Exchange of views
11859/23 [Diaspora as a development agent – remittances and beyond. Statewatch reported on the document here: Spanish Council Presidency: how can we use the diaspora population as leverage for migration control?]
3. Freedom of movements on West-African migration trends
- Presentation by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
= Exchange of views
4. Implementation of the Pact - Follow-up on the implementation of the action plans on Niger and Nigeria [Frontex, EUAA and Europol are invited to participate to the discussions on this item]
- Presentation by the Presidency
= Exchange of views
11860/23 [Presidency discussion paper. Statewatch reported on the document here: After the Niger coup, Spanish Council Presidency asks: "How can we continue cooperation on migration and border management?"]
5. Commission’s Assessment of third countries' level of cooperation on readmission in 2022(Article 25a of the Visa Code) [discussion in Mixed Committee format]
- Presentation by the Commission
= Exchange of views
11941/23 EU RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED + ADD 1 [Commission report. Statewatch reported on the document here: Videoconference identification part of push to digitalize EU deportation procedures]
6. AOB
- Frontex working arrangements in Africa
– MOCADEM Actions files on Senegal and Gambia to be approved by COREPER (poss.)
– EU-US SOM on JHA (5-6 Oct.) and EU-US Ministerial on JHA (13-14 Nov.)
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