During the morning session, the ministers discussed the state of the Schengen area. Minister Poklukar stressed that Member States must take all appropriate measures to ensure high standards in border control and the protection of external borders. He highlighted that European integrated border management is a shared responsibility between Member States and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex). "We believe the Agency should become even more proactive in the future, proposing actions at the external borders to Member States when justified by the results of a vulnerability assessment or its own analyses. This is something the Agency's existing mandate already permits," the Minister stated.

Enhanced cooperation with our partners in the region is also key to strengthening the resilience of the EU's external borders. "We must continue to remind our Western Balkans partners of the importance of aligning their visa policies to prevent their airports from becoming hubs for irregular migration to the European Union," Minister Poklukar added.

The ministers also reviewed the current status regarding the full implementation of the Schengen acquis in Bulgaria and Romania. The European Commission will continue to support the process, with the goal of reaching a decision to lift the land border controls for both countries by the end of this year. Slovenia supports the full application of the Schengen acquis in Bulgaria and Romania and is committed to the swift removal of controls at their internal land borders.

During a working lunch, the ministers discussed strengthening the EU's return policy. For Slovenia, ensuring the return of foreigners who do not meet residency conditions–while upholding human rights–is one of the fundamental components of a comprehensive and credible EU migration policy. It is also a key element of Europe's integrated border management. However, there is still room for improvement. Recent discussion revealed that a significant number of Member States, including Slovenia, support further strengthening the EU's operational support for return operations in third countries by expanding Frontex's mandate. Despite the Agency's bolstered mandate in 2019, it currently lacks the authority to provide operational assistance to third countries, such as to partners in the Western Balkans, to facilitate the return of migrants to their countries of origin. The ministers, including Minister Poklukar, endorsed the proposal to prioritise the return of individuals posing a threat to public order and internal security. Slovenia has also joined the majority of Member States in backing the Austrian and Dutch initiative for a new legislative proposal aimed at streamlining the return of migrants who are not entitled to stay in the EU.

In the afternoon session, discussions focused on the impact of external conflicts on the current security risks facing the European Union. Ministers agreed on the need to increase cooperation among Member States, along with enhanced information and experience sharing to address the security challenges arising from these conflicts.

The ministers also reviewed progress in the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime, addressing priorities such as customs mobilisation, public-private partnerships, mapping of the most significant criminal networks, advancements in financial and digital investigations, cooperation with third countries, and more. Given that this is a pressing security issue, it remains a regular agenda item for meetings of the interior ministers, with further progress to be reviewed at the December meeting.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the European Commission provided an update on the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum. Member States have two years to finalise all strategic, legislative, operational, organisational and other measures to put the new legal framework into effect.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Poklukar held with his counterparts from Spain, Germany and Luxembourg discussions on the current situation in the field of home affairs. The Luxembourg Minister of the Interior, Leon Gloden, will visit Slovenia for a bilateral meeting with Minister Poklukar next week. Minister Poklukar also spoke with his Croatian counterpart, Davor Božinović, who will once again host the trilateral meeting of the Ministers of the Interior of Croatia, Italy and Slovenia in Zaprešić, Croatia, on Monday, 14 October 2024.