Commission issues Communication countering the weaponisation of migration and provides funding to enhance border surveillance capabilities

On 11 December, the European Commission issued a Communication in support of EU countries countering hybrid threats from the weaponisation of migration and to strengthen security at the EU’s external borders.

The EU will not tolerate any attempts by Russia or Belarus or any other country to use EU values against the Union, including the right to asylum, for political purposes.

Hybrid threats arising from the weaponisation of migration by Russia, assisted by Belarus, pose a risk to sovereignty, national security and territorial integrity of the concerned Member States, but also to the security of the Union as a whole. The Commission’s Communication is providing the legal context in which any exceptional measure to tackle this threat can be taken, including as arising from case-law, and in full compliance with EU and international law. All measures need to be temporary, necessary, proportionate and well defined.

Any extraordinary measure taken by Member States to tackle the weaponisation of migration must be in full compliance with EU and international law. The Commission will continue to support Member States confronted with this type of hybrid threats.

Furthermore, the Commission has also made over EUR 170 million available under the Border Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI) and its Thematic Facility, to strengthen border surveillance capabilities in Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Norway, at the borders with Russia and Belarus.

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Press Release

Communication on countering hybrid threats from the weaponisation of migration and strengthening security at the EU’s external borders