The declaration on illegal immigration adopted in Copenhagen at the level of heads of European states, including Cyprus, is a reaffirmation of the goals promoted by the EU, Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection Dr. Nicholas Ioannides has told CNA, noting that it concerns issues that the Republic of Cyprus is already promoting.
Asked by CNA about the adoption by 17 European states, including Cyprus, of a series of measures to address the ‘challenges of illegal immigration’ during the European Political Community Summit in Copenhagen, Ioannides noted that it is a declaration that reaffirms the goals of the EU member states on migration.
‘These are issues that are already being promoted and will continue to be promoted by the member states and the European Commission,’ the Deputy Minister said, noting that these constitute ‘priorities’ for Cyprus.
‘We are already working on several of these,’ he said, referring to the decline in migrant flows to Cyprus, while at the same time noting the country’s returns record. These are issues that are also a priority for Cyprus and on which the country emphasises, he added.
In a joint statement earlier this week, in the framework of the European Political Community Summit in Copenhagen, the leaders of Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and the United Kingdom, in the presence of the Presidents of the European Commission and of the European Parliament, adopted a number of steps to be taken collectively to help manage ‘the complex challenges of illegal migration’.
They agreed, among other things, to strengthen the fight against people smugglers through coordinated operations and sanctions, to improve asylum and return systems and to work with third countries to tackle irregular migration. At the same time, they committed to innovative solutions, such as new legal frameworks and pilot projects aimed at weakening criminal networks and more effective border management.