On 26 May, the EUROMED Migration V Programme (EMM5) organised an online Technical Briefing on the New EU Agenda for the Mediterranean. The event was attended by over 50 representatives of 22 EMM5 participating countries and by representatives of international organisations and European agencies.
The event saw the participation of the Director of the Southern Neighbourhood Directorate at DG NEAR, Ms Henrike Trautmann, who presented the scope, content and the implementation strategy of the New Agenda with a special focus on migration and mobility. EMM5 National Focal Points and other government representatives provided feedback on the New Agenda to Ms Trautmann. In her presentation, Ms Trautmann highlighted the importance of mutual cooperation between the EU and its Southern Neighbourhood to ensure future prosperity and stability in the whole Euro-Mediterranean Region.
“Global phenomena such as conflict, terrorism, climate change and migration demand joint responses” - The New Agenda seeks to address global challenges by focusing on several priorities area, including ‘migration and mobility’. Actions in the area of migration and mobility will be based on the new strategic background of New EU Pact on Migration and Asylum with a special focus on addressing the challenges of irregular migration. The New Agenda will seek to strengthen the legal and operational framework for voluntary returns from Europe and from transit countries, improve the quality of return and reintegration programmes and establish better links with development initiatives in partner countries. Furthermore, the New Agenda will seek to enhance legal mobility as part of the new framework of Talent Partnerships. After the presentation, Ms Trautmann and government representatives from the Southern Neighbourhood engaged in a dynamic discussion on several key aspects of the New Agenda.