Legal migration: Commissioner Johansson hosts a High-Level ministerial discussion on resettlement and complementary pathways

Today, Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, hosts an online high level ministerial discussion with representatives from Spain, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, Romania and Italy, along with representatives from the other Member States.

In addition, the Schengen Associated States, the EU Agency for Asylum, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the International Organisation for Migration will also be represented at the discussion.

The high-level ministerial addresses strategic questions on resettlement, humanitarian admissions and legal pathways to protection in the EU, delivering on the letter President von der Leyen sent to Member States ahead of the European Council in February.

The discussion will also explore innovative ideas, notably in relation to the further development of community sponsorship models, including humanitarian corridors, with a view to improve the impact of such schemes. Today’s discussion also sets the scene for the upcoming expert-level Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Forum on 10 May, where the Commission will kick-off the pledging exercise for the 2024-2025 scheme.

The integration and inclusion of third-country nationals in the EU helps making our societies more cohesive, resilient, and prosperous. This is set out in the EU Action plan on integration and inclusion, with which the Home Affairs funding are also aligned. Earlier this year, the European Commission launched a new call for proposals for €40 million EU action grants under the Asylum Migration Integration Fund to fund actions on integration and complementary pathways. Main objectives of this call were announced at the European Partnership for Integration in January and the High-level Forum on legal pathways to protection in November 2022.