Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

Meetings of the Interior and Justice Ministers of the European Union begin today, Thursday, in Brussels. The two-day meeting will focus on internal affairs, according to EU institutions. The main topics on the agenda will center on migration policy. The Interior Ministers will review the current status of the implementation of the Migration Agreement and exchange views on cooperation with transit countries, with a focus on Lebanon and Libya. They will also discuss the future of Europol.

The second day will be dedicated to justice. The Justice Ministers will seek to reach an agreement on the Regulation on the Protection of Adults, exchange views on the independence of lawyers in the EU, and discuss the latest developments in combating impunity for crimes committed in Ukraine.

Internal Affairs
Schengen Area
The Interior Ministers will discuss the overall situation in the Schengen Area. The European Commission will present the Schengen Indicator and briefly address its recently published strategy on EU visas. The Ministers will exchange views on the implementation of the priorities of the 2025-2026 Schengen Council cycle, with a focus on promoting voluntary returns. Combined with strict enforcement measures for return decisions, voluntary return can help increase the effectiveness of our return systems and contribute to sustainable migration management.

Ministers will be asked to approve the revised post-2026 roadmap on the interoperability of large-scale EU IT systems for justice and home affairs, which now includes key milestones for the launch of the revised Visa Information System and the EU Visa Application Platform. These milestones are essential for modernizing border management and improving security across the Schengen Area.

EU Drug Strategy
The Council will approve the conclusions relating to the new EU Strategic Framework on Drugs and adopt the EU Drug Strategy presented by the Commission on 4 December 2025.
The EU Drug Strategy focuses on five key areas:
• Strengthening the EU and national preparedness to anticipate and respond to drug-related health and security threats
• Protecting the health of individuals through evidence-based prevention and treatment measures
• Enhancing security and protecting society by tackling drug production and trafficking and combating organized crime
• Addressing drug-related harms to protect individuals and society
• Building strong partnerships, particularly with other countries and regions, to address the drug situation.
Impact of the current geopolitical situation on EU internal security
Internal security issues will also be on the agenda. During a working lunch, ministers will discuss the impact of the current geopolitical situation in Iran and Syria on EU internal security. They will consider the potential impact of these developments on EU internal security and discuss possible mitigation measures. The Future of Europol
Ministers will then exchange views on the future of Europol and provide policy guidance to the Commission as input for a legislative proposal expected in June 2026 on a comprehensive reform of Europol’s mandate, transforming it into a “truly operational police agency” that better supports Member States.

The Commission has identified four key areas for reviewing Europol’s mandate: making Europol’s support more practical, providing stronger assistance to national authorities, improving coordination with other EU agencies, and strengthening oversight and resources. Ministers’ discussions will focus on Europol’s role as a central hub for information sharing and analysis, cooperation with other EU agencies and bodies, addressing hybrid threats, and governance.

The Council and the European Parliament want to strengthen Europol’s role.

Migration

Several migration-related issues will be on the agenda. Ministers will continue to discuss the external dimension of migration and exchange views on cooperation with transit countries. Strengthening cooperation with key third countries is a cornerstone of the EU’s migration policy. Ministers will now focus on Lebanon and Libya, two key countries along migration routes in the Eastern and Central Mediterranean. While migration pressure has decreased, it could change rapidly due to conflicts, climate-related factors, or the activities of smuggling networks. The Commission will provide an update on the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration, which will enter into force on June 12, 2026. A presentation will also be given on the status of the new Eurodac database, which is expected to be ready for launch in June. Eurodac is the EU database containing the biometric data of asylum seekers and irregular migrants registered in EU Member States and Associated States.

The Commission will also present the EU Migration and Asylum Strategy, which sets out the EU's strategic direction for migration and asylum policy for the next five years. Its three main objectives are: preventing irregular migration and smuggling, ensuring the protection of people fleeing war and persecution, and attracting talent to enhance the EU's competitiveness.