Polish-Spanish Intergovernmental Consultations were held on Monday (31 May 2021) in Alcalá de Henares. The main topics of the talks included coordination of COVID-19 measures, climate policy, migration challenges, neighbour policy, and bilateral matters concerning economic, educational and cultural cooperation.

Intergovernmental consultations between Poland and Spain were last held 4 years ago. The pandemic had disrupted the schedule; however, the regular mode of cooperation has resumed. Numerous common themes were found today, according to Mateusz Morawiecki. The Prime Minister stressed that numerous joint declarations were signed in the area of infrastructure as well as concerning the assurance of internal and external security, economic cooperation, and the broadening of our common market and the development of innovativeness.

Within the framework of the consultations, Mariusz Kamiński and Deputy Minister Bartosz Grodecki met with Fernando Grande-Marlaska Gómez, Minister of the Interior of the Kingdom of Spain. The head of the Polish Ministry of the Interior and Administration and his Spanish colleague also participated in the plenary session.

The issue of further intensification of cooperation and information sharing between Polish and Spanish services with regard to combatting crime was discussed during the bilateral meeting of the Ministers of the Interior.

The Ministers also discussed issues on the current EU agenda. They stressed the need for effective protection of the EU’s external frontiers and efficient cooperation with third states in combatting illegal migration along the main routes, in particular the effective application of readmission and returns. Without these elements, no reform of EU migration and asylum policy will be possible. In this context, Minister Mariusz Kamiński referred to recent events which have had the effect of increased migration pressure on Spain’s southern borders – ‘I should like to offer assurances regarding Poland’s solidarity and readiness to provide support to Spanish authorities should there be any further escalation of migration pressure on the borders of the European Union’ – highlighted by the head of the Polish Ministry of the Interior and Administration.

Photo: Krystian Maj / Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland