At the end of September 2024, 114 million people around the world had fled their homes due to war, natural disasters and violence. 1.6 million people have been displaced by conflict and violence. 6 million more than in 2022.
The new European Union Pact on Migration and Asylum, adopted on 14 May 2024, aims to address the migration policies of EU Member States while ensuring that the Union maintains strong and secure borders. This new common framework consists of four main pillars: secure external borders, fast and efficient procedures, an effective system of solidarity and responsibility, and the integration of migration into international partnerships.
Asylum seekers who do not meet the conditions for entry to the EU (e.g. without a valid visa) will have to be subject to rigorous checks and surveillance at the border, including security and health checks, to ensure that the EU’s external borders are secure. This will also include the mandatory return of those who do not need or are not entitled to international protection. The implementation of rapid and efficient procedures will include identification processes to designate the countries responsible for examining specific asylum applications, while ensuring humane living conditions. An effective solidarity system will determine decisions on financial assistance. The inclusion of migration in international partnerships will suggest possible mechanisms to combat smuggling of migrants and intensive cooperation with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) to prevent irregular departures. The new Migration Pact is a common guideline for EU Member States to address irregular migration and integration.
As Lithuania is one of the EU countries that has not faced large numbers of refugee arrivals in the past, the relevance of migration policy is only just gaining momentum. With the increasing number of migrants due to war, natural disasters and epidemics, as well as neighbouring countries such as Russia and Belarus, Lithuania is securing its place among the countries in need of a well-functioning mechanism to deal with migrants.
Lithuania, together with other EU Member States, has started a two-year process to prepare for the implementation of the Migration and Asylum Pact. A national working group will be set up, comprising seven ministries and other institutions, to assess the existing infrastructure, access to relevant databases, human resources, and to review and adapt migration and asylum management procedures.
One of the policy measures Lithuania has taken in 2021 to cope with the increased number of migrants is the physical reversal of migrants at the border, also known as the “pushback” policy. However, this is precisely what the new EU migration pact prevents. Countries could receive migrants and strictly check them, but not turn them back at the border. The Migration Pact would oblige Lithuania to accept migrants first and then assess their asylum claims. Lithuania has previously been criticised by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which ruled that pushing people back without examining their asylum claims and detaining them is illegal under EU law. The Pact covers situations where a hostile regime artificially creates migration flows as a hybrid attack against an EU Member State in order to trigger a crisis. It is argued that recognising such situations allows for stronger measures, but still does not include a pushback policy.
The Pact provides for a binding refugee quota mechanism. Member States commit to either accepting a certain number of migrants or paying a financial compensation of €20,000 for each person refused under the quota. Lithuania is debating whether to accept the 158 migrants allocated to it or to pay €3.16 million accordingly. The Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Parliament have said that it is worth accepting the migrants because Lithuania has the infrastructure and experience from 2022.
A poll carried out in May 2024 showed a balanced distribution of public opinion on whether a country should accept migrants under a quota. Of all respondents 39% support the admission of 158 migrants each year, while 34% support paying EUR 3.16 million into a special solidarity fund. However, it is worrying that 27% of respondents did not have an opinion or did not answer the question, indicating a low level of public engagement on this issue. It is important to note that attitudes towards migration can change rapidly and are strongly influenced by the way asylum seekers are portrayed in the media.
Once Lithuania welcomes newcomers, it will have to pay close attention to their integration. Language skills and employability are key indicators of successful integration. Surveys show that there is strong public support for refugee integration measures such as child education, language courses, assistance with documentation and skills training. However, there is less support for housing and social support.
Faced with an increasing number of immigrants and internal demographic challenges such as emigration and an ageing population, Lithuania must adapt to these changes. In preparing for the implementation of the Migration and Asylum Pact, Lithuania must focus on building a strong infrastructure, treating asylum seekers humanely and promoting social integration to ensure its demographic and economic stability.
Photo: Pexels I Vlada Karpovich
List of References
- Bakaitė, J. Lrt.lt. (2022). CJEU finds Lithuania’s migrant policies in violation of EU
law. Available via the Internet: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1730702/cjeufinds-lithuania-s-migrant-policies-in-violation-of-eu-law - Bakaitė, J. Lrt.lt. (2024). What to do with migrants? 34% of the population would prefer to pay
millions, but would not support a quota. Available online:
https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/lietuvoje/2/2297301/ka-daryti-su-migrantais-34-procgyventoju-geriau-moketu-milijonus-bet-nepritartu-kvotai - European Commission. (2024). Pact on Migration and Asylum. Available online:
https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/pact-migration-andasylum_en - Official Journal of the European Union. (2024).
Regulation (EU) 2024/1351 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on asylum and migration
management, amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1147 and (EU) 2021/1060 and
repealing Regulation (EU) No 604/2013. Available online: https://eurlex.europa.eu/legal-content/LT/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L_202401351 - Juknevičienė, R. Lrt.lt. (2024). Rasa Juknevičienė. EU Migration Package contains important provisions
for Lithuania. Available online:
https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/pozicija/679/2267946/rasa-jukneviciene-es-migracijospakete-svarbios-lietuvai-nuostatos - Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania. (2024). Discussed topical issues related to the implementation of the Migration
Pact. Available online:
https://vrm.lrv.lt/lt/naujienos/aptarti-aktualus-migracijos-pakto-igyvendinimoklausimai/#:~:text=%C4%AE%20Pakt%C4%85%20%C4%AFtracts%20ir%20Liet
uvai%20aktualios%20ES%20lygmens,deryb%C5%B3%20prad%C5%BEios%20pasi
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roced%C5%ABros. - UNHCR. (2023). UNHCR: Forced displacement continues to grow as conflicts
escalate. Available via the Internet: https://www.unhcr.org/news/unhcr-forceddisplacement-continues-grow-conflicts-escalat
