Almost everywhere in Europe, border security forces. In Poland, but also in Germany and Belgium for this summer. “The message is very clear that Belgium will no longer accept illegal migration,” says Anneleen Van Bossuyt, Minister of Asylum and Migration.
In Europe, we harden the tone in the face of illegal immigration. In recent months, 12 countries have established controls at their borders. In the Schengen area, a free movement area.
“In a way, it is a bit of a dagger stabs that are carried in the European project itself and these are measures, which, sincerely, I doubt a lot of efficiency,” said François Gemenne, director of the observatory on migratory flows at ULiège.
Because in fact, these measures resemble political messages. These controls show their limits. “It does not work much, first of all because these controls are limited in time (…) and obviously it is absolutely impossible to hermetically completed a border,” said Philippe de Bruycker, professor of European law at ULB. “It is clearly rather of the order of the symbolic,” he adds.
We cross red lines a little permanently
Symbolic as taking office of Denmark as the presidency of the Council of the European Union. The country applies a hard line on migration and intends to go further. “Migration policy is an agenda on which we want to progress in the next six months,” said Marie Bjerre, Danish Minister for European Affairs.
“We cross red lines a little permanently,” notes Denis Duez, professor of political science at the UClouvain. I have been working on migration issues for 25 years now. And speeches that were absolutely inaudible in the mouths of politicians are common today, things that could not be said because judging racist or factually erroneous are today completely accepted ”.
The Channel is the daily theater of the fight against illegal immigration. The United Kingdom wishes more strict measures and has just agreed with France. “For the first time, migrants arriving in small boats will be arrested, then returned to France as soon as possible,” said Keir Starmer, British Prime Minister. According to specialists, these measures will not dissuade, but make migratory roads more dangerous. “What’s going to happen?” The migrants will try to cross the border at night, to cross at night, so as not to be spotted by the police, says François Gemenne, director of the observatory on migratory flows at ULiège. And it will obviously be a lot, much more dangerous. This is not at all that will make them give up their migration project since their whole life is based on this project ”.
The European Pact had to enter into force in June 2026. It aims to tackle the policy of European asylum and migration.
