Local and regional authorities must be fully equipped to implement EU migration policies, respond to pressures at Europe’s borders and manage migration on the ground. These were among the main points raised by members of the European People’s Party in the European Committee of the Regions (EPP-CoR) during a debate with Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, on the EU Migration Strategy. Members highlighted the key role of cities and regions in reception, integration, returns and tackling trafficking networks, while also stressing the need for stronger operational support, adequate resources and clearer responsibilities for local and regional authorities.
Commissioner Magnus Brunner underlined that the European Union is at a turning point in migration policy and stressed the importance of implementing the Pact on Migration and Asylum by December 2026. The Pact aims to balance solidarity with responsibility among Member States, including faster procedures at the EU’s external borders, improved data systems such as Eurodac (European Asylum Dactyloscopy Database) and progress on the Return Regulation. He also highlighted the strengthening of border management tools, including the Entry–Exit System and the expansion of Frontex, alongside stronger partnerships with third countries and the development of legal migration pathways to respond to labour market needs.
Karin Müller, State Secretary for European and International Affairs and De-bureaucratisation with political accountability to the Parliament of the State of Hesse, stressed that the effectiveness of EU return policies depends largely on the operational capacity of regional and local authorities. She underlined that municipalities must have sufficient staff, infrastructure and predictable resources if they are expected to implement returns in practice. “A common European returns system can only be effective if the competent regional authorities are properly equipped—with the staff, infrastructure, and financial flexibility needed to carry out returns-related tasks appropriately. Returns are not only about rules at EU level; they are about operational capacity on the ground. If regions and municipalities are expected to deliver, they need clear responsibilities, workable procedures, and predictable resources. That is the way to strengthen enforcement while protecting reception and integration capacity for those who are entitled to protection under Member States’ laws, including minors.”
Jesús Ángel Garrido Martínez, Director General for Funds and Relations with the European Union of the Government of La Rioja, raised concerns about the potential consequences of Spain’s recently announced extraordinary regularisation of migrants. According to official estimates, the measure could affect around 500,000 people and may place additional pressure on welfare systems largely managed by regional and local authorities. “Such a measure could have significant implications for welfare systems, including healthcare, education and social services, which are largely managed by local and regional authorities.”
Arnoldas Abramavičius, Councillor of the local government council of Zarasai District Municipality Council, stressed that legal migration pathways must be an integral part of migration policy from the perspective of cities and regions, particularly in relation to labour market needs and integration. “For cities and regions, legal pathways are not a side issue—they are central. Combating smugglers is essential, but local authorities also need workable legal pathways linked to labour market needs, so migration is managed responsibly and integration is effective. And we cannot ignore security realities: for several years we have faced the instrumentalisation and weaponisation of migration at our borders, while war continues nearby. This hostile pressure remains a challenge for local and regional authorities, and it must be reflected clearly in EU documents, funding priorities, and operational planning.”
Francisca Ramis Pons, Director General for Institutional Relations and Relations with the Parliament of the Government of the Balearic Islands, highlighted the continued arrival of migrant boats along the Algerian route and the pressure this places on the region. “The Balearic Islands continue to receive boats carrying migrants and asylum seekers, with the Algerian route still active, which continues to place pressure on the region.”
Jelena Drenjanin, Municipal Councillor of Huddinge, raised concerns about cases of marriages of convenience linked to trafficking networks operating across Member States and the limited investigative capacity available to address them. “We are seeing disturbing cases of marriages of convenience linked to human trafficking and exploitation. People are paid to marry in one Member State, obtain papers, and the marriage is registered with minimal questioning because the documents appear in order. In several cases we contacted the police, but there are still very limited experience and capacity to investigate these networks. We are learning that agencies openly ‘sell’ a route to residency: you choose the country, pay a fee, and they find a person to marry. This must be addressed as trafficking, not paperwork. And victims need protection, not stigma.”
EPP-CoR members concluded that the success of the EU’s evolving migration framework will depend on recognising the key role played by cities and regions and ensuring they have the resources, operational support and legal clarity needed to manage migration effectively.