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During their last videoconference of Germany’s Council Presidency, EU home affairs ministers discussed key files in the fields of security and migration.
In the morning, ministers discussed security policy, with Council conclusions pertaining to internal security and the European police partnership on the agenda. The latter aims to provide Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency, with a stronger operational mandate.
Ministers then turned their attention to the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, which the European Commission proposed in September. Discussions covered proposals on external border management, new pre-entry procedures, including compulsory identification, health and security screenings, and mutual solidarity and support among member states, among other pillars of the Pact. Ministers also held a debate on how the EU can better cooperate with third-country partners to more effectively manage migration, readmission and return procedures.
The German Presidency also informed ministers on the status of the EU regulation to combat the online dissemination of terrorist content. The German Presidency last week successfully concluded negotiations with the European Parliament and the European Commission on the regulation, showing that Europe stands united in the fight against terrorism.