[EN] Internal and External Common Challenges: Defence and migration in the next MFF

In the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the period 2021-2027, the budget allocated to migration fell under Heading 4: “Migration and Border Management”, while security and defence were covered by Heading 5. With budgets of €22.7 billion and €13.2 billion, respectively (in 2018 prices), these areas represented relatively modest
European investments compared to other expenditure priorities.
Nevertheless, they reflected the growing significance of these two issues in the EU’s strategic agenda. With respect to migration, the crises affecting Syria, Afghanistan, and the Sahel region during the 2010s led to a significant surge in the number of asylum seekers arriving in Europe.
Frontline countries like Greece and Italy faced intense pressure, often without the means to adequately respond to it. Due to the limited EU funds allocated to migration and asylum in the 2014-2020 period, the Union had to rely heavily on the flexibility provisions of the 2014-2020 MFF to support needs. In addition, new instruments were introduced, partially outside the MFF, to finance cooperation with third countries in the area of migration – the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, the EU Trust Fund for Syria (MADAD Fund), and the Facility for Refugees in Turkey.
Drawing lessons from this experience, the current MFF has increased the amount of EU funds earmarked to migration and border management. Changes have been introduced to adjust the allocation of funds to evolving needs. Following the expansion of Frontex’ mandate and functions (in 2016 and 2019), more resources have been allocated to the
EU´s border agency. However, EU expenditure on migration and border management remains a very small share of the overall MFF, accounting only for 2.1%, while the issue
is at the top of the EU´s agenda.

This article was published for the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU.