Τhe Minister of Public Order and Citizen Protection, Nikos Dendias, presented yesterday (5.12.2013), at the Council of Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs in Brussels, the Hellenic Presidency priorities in the field of migration and asylum.
 
The Minister highlighted that the Hellenic Presidency will focus its efforts on a European holistic approach and management of the migration policy, with parallel actions to mitigate the consequences in the economic, social and political reality of EU Member-States.
 
The Minister emphasized that the Hellenic Presidency will enhance the policies related to migration, in the context of an EU Global Approach to Migration.
 
The Hellenic Presidency shall work to promote important issues such as:
(i) The increase of EU funding for addressing migration flows
(ii) The improvement of policies on returns/readmissions of third country nationals with corresponding increase of EU funding
(iii) Defining the strategic objectives and setting the priorities of the EU in the field of Justice and Home Affairs for the post-Stockholm era
(iv) Updating the "EU Action Plan on tackling migration pressure – Strategic response," placing particular emphasis on measures tackling illegal migration and combating human trafficking
(v) Fair burden-sharing and cooperation of the Member States and the EU institutions across the range of policy on asylum and migration
(vi) To this end, Greece will work, inter alia, on promoting cooperation with third countries (origin and transit) in all matters concerning an integrated and effective management of migration policy
(vii) The implementation of the Common European Asylum System, with particular emphasis on measures to strengthen solidarity and fair burden-sharing to all those Member States who are under particular pressure due to mixed migration flows.