On 17 April 2024, ICMPD’s Director General, Michael Spindelegger, participated in the 27th European Police Congress in Berlin, Germany. The congress provides an international platform for political and police decision-makers to convene and foster dialogue. During this year’s event, experts from 20 different nations participated in around 30 forums, discussing relevant developments in the field.
Recognised as Europe’s largest internal security conference, the European Police Congress facilitates critical discussions on the latest technological advancements in the security sector. Moreover, it provides a forum for political representatives, border guards, intelligence agencies, governments, parliaments, and industry leaders to exchange insights.
During the panel discussion on “Migration, integration and border control”, Director General Spindelegger, participated as a keynote speaker alongside prominent stakeholders such as Hans Leijtens, Executive Director of Frontex, Lena Düpont MdEP a Member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, and the General Marius Vizitiu from the General Presidency of the Romanian Border Police.
In his keynote, Mr. Spindelegger emphasised the current era of “poly-crisis” characterised by political instability, rising living costs, climate change, demographic change, and labour market imbalances. He underscored the positive trajectory of migration policies, stating: “Our understanding of migration, our tools and instruments, and the degree of regional and cross-regional cooperation have reached levels nobody could have imagined twenty years ago.”
Furthermore, Mr. Spindelegger stressed the importance of adapting migration governance systems to make them fit for purpose by fostering partnerships with countries outside Europe, based on common goals and joint agendas, to strike a better balance between control and the expansion of legal migration channels. In this regard, he referred to the recent New EU Pact on Asylum and Migration, indicating that: “The compromise is a much-needed signal that the EU remains capable of acting and that the member states are willing to seek compromise and push ahead with reforms even on the most contested issues.”
In his closing remarks, ICMPD’s Director General highlighted the necessity of well-trained, well-equipped, and collaborative migration authorities and police, signalling the significance of forums like the European Police Congress in addressing timely migration challenges.