Justice and Home Affairs Council looks at more efficient returns

Interior and Home Affairs Ministers met at the JHA Council in Brussels on 19 October.

Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, highlighted that more efficient system of returns are now a priority. The Commissioner also underlined the progress made in the last year, but urged progress on Return Directive Negotiations and tasked the EU Return Coordinator to call an extraordinary meeting on operational work.

Home Affairs Ministers also discussed the state of the Schengen area, exchanged views on fighting cross-border crime, including migrant smuggling and child sexual abuse, and the implementation of interoperability of EU information systems.

A lunchtime discussion focused on the implications of the situation in Israel and the region for the EU’s internal security.

Ministers also discussed progress on the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, the external dimension of migration and the amendment to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism regarding equipment to fight forest fires.

Watch the entire press conference