We, the Ministers of Interior from the Visegrad Group met in Budapest on 26 June in the presence of the incoming Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union to express our belief and commitment that connects us and helps us maintain and strengthen our cooperation, and look at political achievements in the past decades in the field of home affairs.
We take note of the outcomes of the several high-level meetings organized during the Hungarian Presidency of the Visegrad Group, namely the meeting of the V4 Border Management Chiefs on 11–13 October 2017, the meeting of the V4 Migration Authority Director Generals on 5–6 December 2017, and the meeting of the V4 Civil Protection Director Generals on 11–13 June 2018.
We believe that the key to solving problems is continuous dialogue and joint action. In order to protect our achievements, it is necessary to regularly review, evaluate and coordinate our actions in the issues related to migration and border management.
We agree that a common European migration policy must take into account changes in the globalized world, the changed nature of transcontinental migration flows, and the challenges it poses to security. It is crucial that the solutions do not dissolve and weaken the European Union, but rather create a community of strong, equal members able to give a joint response.
We, the countries of the Visegrad Group have proven that together through a real cooperation our borders can be protected. The first step of solving the crisis is strengthening joint efforts in the external dimension as well as the establishment and use of harmonized and well-functioning border management systems, which is the prerequisite for a functional new CEAS. This is confirmed by the success of halting flows on the migration routes most affecting our region.
We believe that the countries of the European Union should seek to establish an asylum system that takes into account the real needs and capacities of our societies and the commitment of our countries to national sovereignty. We are convinced that an effective return system is an integral part of a comprehensive migration management and commit to undertake all efforts needed to further increase the rate of return of illegally staying third country nationals.
We do not consider any system of automatic allocation of asylum seekers between Member States as a single measure of solidarity acceptable, since it only results in uncertainty and further security risks, and since it generates secondary movements as well.
We emphasize that joint solutions can only be achieved with common proceedings and consensus. We support the upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union in reaching a consensus among Member States by placing the EU's migration policy on a new solid foundation that defines protecting external borders and stemming irregular migration as the main goals, thereby creating the possibility for a crisis-resistant and functional system.
We believe it is necessary to develop support mechanisms that are able to stop outward migration, promote protection in the region of origin and safe third transit countries, thereby creating sustainable development and strengthening Europe’s security.
We are committed to continuing and further developing the Migration Crisis Response Mechanism that was launched in 2017 in order to strengthen our joint efforts and mutual cooperation. We approve the last implementation report and the Action Plan for the next two years.
We are convinced our countries and our responses in the framework of Visegrad Cooperation constitute answers and develop realistic visions on all migration related challenges for the EU. We intend to continue our work by further aligning our policies and bearing in mind our common interests in order to ensure not only our security, but the security of the whole EU, and to create a stronger Europe that respects each other's views and achievements.
We emphasize that the strengthening of cooperation with third countries along different migration routes is a key for finding a comprehensive and sustainable solution of current migratory challenges. To this end, we actively support the enhancement of the capacity of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, in particular in the implementation of joint operations in relevant third countries.
We agree to develop an Implementation Plan in line with the Declaration adopted at the Visegrad Group and Austria Summit in Budapest on 21 June 2018 to support the targeted border policing activities of the Western Balkans and to make efficient use of resources.