During last week’s JHA Council meeting we outlined the priorities of the Polish presidency concerning home affairs. These priorities were subject to comprehensive debates, and they clearly follow the government's overarching policy

- said Tomasz Siemioniak, Minister of the Interior and Administration.

The minister outlined his three priorities for the upcoming presidency.

The first issue that is always in the minds of the general public and the key topic among EU interior ministers concerns countering irregular immigration

- he said.

He indicated that a completely new policy and new solutions were needed.

Then, he followed it up with the outlines of the second and third priority areas:

The second priority concerns monitoring and neutralising security threats by combating organised crime, which is directly linked to national security. We want to focus in particular on the trafficking of humans, arms, and drugs. This issue has been widely debated in Poland over the last several months

the minister started.

Minister Tomasz Siemoniak pointed out that the presidency is an opportunity to make significant progress thanks to strengthening partnerships, enhancing information exchange and building databases.

The third priority concerns civil protection, search and rescue operations, and humanitarian aid.

We recently adopted the Act on Civil Protection and Civil Defence. These issues are important for the majority of EU member states in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine and emerging threats

- he said.

The Minister of the Interior and Administration also announced a number of meetings and activities in connection with the upcoming presidency.

Starting on 1 January, we are going to work very hard for quite a while, with meetings of ministers and commissioners. We are also going to hold parliamentary, police, civil authorities, and emergency services meetings. We have quite a lot of work cut out for us – and this is a great opportunity to push through what we think is important in these six months. That is why we need to get to work right away

- he pointed out.

Three priorities of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration for the Polish presidency:

1.    Countering irregular migration and its instrumental use, in particular by:

• strengthening the external borders of the EU;
• improving the effectiveness and reliability of repatriations and deportations;
• partnering with countries along migration routes in the fight against migrant smuggling, human trafficking and the instrumentalisation of migration;
• creatinga list of safe third countries;
• tackling the root causes of migration. 

2.    Monitoring and neutralising threats to internal security, in particular countering organised crime, namely:

• arms, ammunition and drug trafficking;
• infiltration by criminal groups;
• hybrid threats, disinformation and cybersecurity threats;
• a new mandate for EUROPOL operations;
• combating human trafficking. 

3.    Building the capacity of the EU and its member states in the areas of civil protection, civil defence, search and rescue operations and humanitarian aid, concerning in particular:

• coordination at the EU level, particularly in the context of the recommendations in the report by Sauli Niinistö, former President of Finland;
• improving crisis management activities, including natural disaster response;
• financing initiatives by individual member states;
• supporting Ukraine in the context of participation. 

Specific priorities and their assumptions

Maciej Duszczyk, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, outlined the detailed assumptions of the priorities, recalling that when Poland published its statement rejecting the Migration Pact even before the formal vote, it called for adapting European migration policy to emerging challenges.

We have succeeded in convincing other Member States to address key issues as of now. During the EU Council summit in January, we will talk about novel solutions andays to change the migration policy. What is more, in March, the European Commission will propose a draft act making voluntary returns and deportations more effective

- he noted.

The Deputy Minister also spoke about European funds earmarked for bolstering the protection of the EU's external borders, some of which will go to Poland. He pointed out that protecting the borders is crucial for the integrity of the Schengen area. He also talked in depth about the so-called safe third countries, touching on the issue of refugees from Ukraine in the context of the coming winter and new year.

We want to start a debate concerning war refugees from Ukraine as early asMarch in order to take stock at the EU Council summit in June. Obviously, we have to wait and see what the situation is going to look like over the winter and what decisions will be made in spring. Should the need arise, we are ready to suggest topics for the debate about our approach to the presence of war refugees in the following months. We are aware of the fact that the current directive remains in force until March 2026 and certain solutions must be worked out and enacted in the first half of 2025

- he pointed out.

With respect to internal security, the Deputy Minister mentioned the European Commission's draft document on a new strategy in this area.

The fight against organised crime will be a priority, alongside ensuring cybersecurity. These issues are among the key priorities for us as well. We are aware that criminals are increasingly active on-line, using cryptocurrencies and various messaging services for their clandestine activities

- he claimed.

Maciej Duszczyk also mentioned the influence of foreign actors on election processes and civil protection.

The new internal security strategy will include specific suggestions on countering threats concerning democratic and electoral processes in our states. The last issue to tackle is the response to hybrid threats, especially in the area of civil protection

- the deputy minister stated. 

Polish Presidency in the Council of the European Union 

Poland will take over the six-month presidency in the Council of the European Union as of 1 January 2025, thus ending Hungary’s term of office. Poland will preside over the Council of the EU for the second time since joining the Community – the first presidency took place in the second half of 2011.

Every six months, one of the EU member states takes over the rotating presidency of the Council to chair the meetings of the institution at all levels and ensure the continuity of the EU's agenda, its legislative procedures and the cooperation of all member states.

Member states that hold the presidency in succession work closely together in groups of three. This system was introduced in 2009 by the Lisbon Treaty. Each trio sets long-term objectives and prepares a joint agenda comprising various matters and issues to be addressed by the Council over the course of 18 months. Based on the joint agenda, each state develops a detailed six-month agenda. Denmark is set to take over the presidency after Poland.