Following his participation in the G6 ministerial meeting of Interior Ministers in Paris, Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos made the following statement:
“I am particularly pleased to have made my first official trip as Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship here in Paris, to represent the European Commission at the G6 meeting.
During this meeting, I had the opportunity to discuss with Ministers from France, Germany, Poland, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Canada and the United States, a number of important issues, which are central to my Commission portfolio, including the management of migration flows, foreign fighters and the use of the Internet for radicalization, propaganda, recruitment and terror.
With regard to the management of migration flows, I discussed – in the framework of the G6 meeting and in bilateral meetings – issues of common concern. The discussions also produced many interesting ideas, some of which I intend to consider for the ‘comprehensive approach on migration’, which I am currently preparing.
We have to better protect our shared borders by pooling more resources.
We have to reinforce cooperation with third and transit countries.
We must be more willing to show more solidarity towards those Member States which face the burden of irregular migration and receive most of the asylum seekers and, at the same time, to offer more solidarity to the affected peoples.
We should communicate openly and extensively to the European public about the challenges of migration and security in order to fight racism, fear and radicalisation.
I also had a friendly and open discussion with the Spanish Minister of the Interior Jorge Fernández Díaz. He invited me to visit Melilla, which I intend to do. Contacts will continue on this matter.
Finally, I want to take this opportunity to warmly thank Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, for hosting such an excellent event and for his hospitality.”