During the talks, the protection of refugees from Ukraine was also addressed: Mr Jans emphasised the need for a discussion between the European partner states on the future of the temporary admission of Ukrainians from 2026, saying that there was still a need for a coordinated approach within Europe. This is also the aim of the Federal Council. In early December, the Federal Assembly decided to restrict protection status S to refugees from occupied or disputed areas of Ukraine.
Open to innovative solutions
The Schengen ministers also discussed the conditions for successful cooperation with third countries. Mr Jans said that he was open to new solutions and referred to the evaluations that are currently underway in Switzerland. He stressed that fundamental and human rights must be respected in any new approaches. The implementation of the EU's Pact on Migration and Asylum was also discussed.
The Schengen ministers also addressed the digitalisation of processes for more effective border and migration management, the prevention and combating of criminal activities and the fight against irregular secondary migration. Mr Jans emphasised that improving the use of existing solutions must take priority over the development of new systems. After several delays, Switzerland is now ready to launch the new Entry/Exit System (EES).
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