REPORT on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2024

Tabled by Tomasz Froelich

Added: 45a. Notes with concern that the EU’s external borders are under constant and growing pressure; stresses that the current challenges in the area of migration and asylum have become unmanageable because of the sharp rise in illegal migration; stresses that the inefficiency of the EU’s return system encourages illegal migration and that the refusal of many migrants’ countries of origin to cooperate is one of the most important reasons for the low return rate of illegal migrants; notes the lack of a strong and consistent policy of repatriation of migrants at the level of the Member States; pleads for the promotion of regional protection and the externalisation of asylum policy; argues in favour of more effective return systems; welcomes the new strategy for Sweden’s global development cooperation on migration, returns and voluntary repatriation for 2024-2028; calls for the EU and its Member States to follow Sweden’s example and make development assistance conditional, ensuring that recipient countries cooperate regarding readmission of their nationals, including by removing impediments to enforcement such as the non-issuing of travel documents; condemns the instrumentalisation of migration at EU borders by foreign actors, which constitutes hybrid attacks against the Member States and notes that migration is becoming a systemic geopolitical challenge; stresses that the EU should step up its efforts to acknowledge and develop ways to address the root causes of illegal migration and forced displacement, building the resilience of migrants’ communities of origin and helping them offer their members the possibility of enjoying a decent life in their home country; notes that the European Court of Auditors has once again found that funding under the EU Emergency Trust Fund is still not concentrating enough on priorities to tackle the root causes of illegal migration; reiterates that close cooperation and engagement with non-EU countries, with full respect for fundamental rights, remain key to preventing the smuggling of migrants; stresses, in this regard, that the dissemination of information and awareness-raising campaigns on the risks of people smuggling and on the migration laws of the destination countries are crucial, in order to prevent those who do not have the grounds for asylum from undertaking unnecessarily risky journeys;

Wording as published by the EP, in English. PE769.723v01-00