Some of the key topics discussed at the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting included the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Schengen Area, migration and return issues, the internal security of the EU and the temporary protection of Ukrainian refugees.

Minister Tomasz Siemoniak thanked Commissioner Magnus Brunner for the good cooperation. He also addressed all the people involved with the Polish presidency in the Council of the European Union. ‘My sincere thanks to all those who worked with us in the European Commission and the Council. My special thanks go to the staff of the Polish presidency, who carried out their tasks in Brussels and Warsaw with great commitment,’ he said.

The Minister of the Interior and Administration also spoke about the details of today's talks. ‘Today we talked about border management, IT infrastructure and the regulation on the phased launch of the entry/exit system. We are on track to launch the system in October 2025,’ he pointed out.

The Minister of the Interior and Administration also mentioned the issue of returns. ‘We agreed that the legal framework concerning returns must be overhauled as quickly as possible,’ he reported. ‘Many comments on current events, including the ongoing war in Europe and the situation in the Middle East, underscore the importance of internal security and the geopolitical context,’ Minister Tomasz Siemoniak added.

The EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner spoke about the course of the JHA Council meeting. ‘We want to bolster the security of our external borders, tackle internal migration issues and ensure that law enforcement agencies have the right tools to tackle threats,’ he said.

40th anniversary of the signing of the Schengen Agreement and border management

The Schengen Agreement was signed 40 years ago. On this occasion, the JHA Council meeting adopted the Schengen Declaration, which emphasises bolstering internal security while ensuring freedom of movement within the Schengen area without internal border checks. The ministers also talked about border management IT infrastructure matters, including the Entry/Exit System Regulation. They pointed out that the EU is on track to launch the system in October, following talks between the Polish presidency and the European Parliament.

Migration and return issues

Another important matter covered during the meeting of the EU ministers of the interior was migration, with a particular focus on returns. The Polish presidency has significantly sped up work on overhauling the legal framework concerning this area. Other important aspects concern ensuring effective cooperation with third countries, which can be achieved through tools such as visa sanctions and trade pressures. The attendees also discussed the use of these tools in the context of migration.

EU internal security and temporary protection of persons from Ukraine

The attendees also covered the European Internal Security Strategy (ProtectEU), which is seen as crucial, given the current geopolitical circumstances, including the situation in Ukraine, Moldova, Syria and Libya, and their impact on the security of the European Union. One of the key topics concerned facilitating access to data for law enforcement to support combating crime. The Council approved conclusions for the next EMPACT cycle (2026-2029), with the overarching objective of ensuring cooperation in the fight against organised crime. In addition, the attendees reached an agreement concerning the extension of temporary protection for displaced persons from Ukraine until March 2027 and discussions began on a strategy to end this protection once a just peace is achieved.