Minister Tomasz Siemoniak covered the priorities of the Polish Presidency in the Council of the European Union. “Today, we focused on internal security, curbing irregular migration, security of citizens, and combating crime. A common position of the Member States on the regulation concerning the gradual activation of the so-called Entry-Exit System has been achieved. The system will be integrated into an interoperable architecture that will contribute to the security of the Schengen area,” he said.

“We are aware that the citizens of the European Union are demanding decisive action, secure borders and safety on Europe's streets,” he added.

The Minister of the Interior and Administration also briefly covered other issues raised during the Council meeting, noting that the debate concerned the situation in Syria and Ukraine. “We are aware that tomorrow we are going to see an extremely important, extraordinary European Council summit on support for Ukraine, on defence in Europe and on defence investments. We emphasised the good cooperation with the Ukrainian side in terms of combating crime, in particular arms trafficking. As the Presidency, we have presented a report on this matter,” he pointed out.

The Minister of the Interior and Administration also mentioned the security of offshore infrastructure. “The general public in European countries, especially those bordering the Baltic Sea, has been greatly disturbed by the subsequent cases of damaged submarine cables. This had an impact on energy and internet access, which is why we decided to look into this matter,” he noted.
“Our presidency has a very dynamic approach. Today's meeting took place relatively shortly after the informal meeting in Warsaw. We are in a very intensive consultation process, for which I thank the European Commissioner,” said the Minister of the Interior and Administration, Tomasz Siemoniak.

EU border management and the Schengen area

During Wednesday's JHA Council meeting, the attending ministers worked out a common position on the regulation on the introduction of the Entry/Exit System. The system records the entry, exit and refusal of entry of third-country nationals who cross the external borders of the EU for short-term stays. The new solution will enable Border Guard officials to scan fingerprints or take photos of individuals crossing the border for the first-time and save this information as a digital file. The interoperability of the IT infrastructure of EU law enforcement agencies was also discussed. A new plan for its implementation (including the launch of ETIAS - the EU Travel Authorisation System) was also approved.

In addition, the implementation of the priorities of the Schengen Council cycle was discussed, including increasing the effectiveness of the return of third-country nationals who do not have the right to remain in EU member states. During this part of the agenda, the ministers also talked about challenges, including lack of resources and cooperation on the part of the countries of origin and insufficient use of information exchange tools. Recommendations stemming from the 2024 thematic Schengen evaluation have been adopted, with the aim of eliminating obstacles to the return process. The ministers also stressed the importance of proactive resource planning and effective coordination at national and European levels.

Migration and internal security

With regard to migration, the ministers discussed the external dimension of the phenomenon. The talks concerned the effects of regime change in Syria and its links to migration. The ministers also exchanged views on the impact of the current geopolitical situation on the EU's internal security. The discussion focused in particular on Syria and Ukraine.

In addition, a working meeting attended by the ministers responsible for security in the 16 states participating in the Latin American Committee on Internal Security was also held as part of the Council. The aim of the exchange of views between the two groups was to enhance law enforcement cooperation at regional and bilateral levels. This is to help counter threats to internal security from international organised crime networks. It was also an opportunity to agree a new joint declaration and a plan for the implementation of operational cooperation priorities for 2025-2026.

In addition, the Presidency presented a report summing up the implementation of certain priority actions contributing to the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime.