16/09/2024 – 07/10/2024

  • On 26 September, the EU Observer revealed that Frontex, with a budget of 1 billion, had helped EU states to deport 37,000 people from January to early September.
  • On 25 September, the European Court of Auditors issued a report that critically analyses the EU’s €5 billion Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. Auditors founds that the Fund does not focus enough on its priorities of tackling the root causes of instability, irregular migration and displacement on the continent, and has too broad of a focus, despite its previous call on the same issue in 2018.
  • On 24 September, the European Commission denied allegations that the EU was funding Tunisian security forces accused of mass rapes of sub-Saharan African women. Instead, it said the EU was funding international organisations, and NGOs on the ground. An EU member also said that the EU expected Tunisia, as a sovereign country, to investigate the matter.
  • On 18 September, the EU decided to deduct 200 million euros from Hungary’s funds in response to the country’s refusal to pay its fine for failing to comply with EU rules on refugee protection. In addition, Hungary will be fined 1 million a day as long as Viktor Orbán defies the EU court ruling and maintains his restrictions on asylum rights.
  • On 17 September, Magnus Brunner, the new Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, stated on X that Austria is “successfully combating illegal migration” and that he looks forward to doing the same at the EU level by strengthening Europe’s values and security.
  • On 17 September, European Commission President Ursula von der Layen presented her political guidelines for 2024-2029 and announced her new European Commissioners. Austria’s Magnus Brunner is the new Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, in charge of building stronger common borders and ensuring a fair and firm approach to migration, while Croatia’s Dubravka Šuica is the new Commissioner for the Mediterranean, in charge of operationalizing the external aspects of the EU’s migration policy.
  • On 16 September, a delegation from the Council of Europe arrived in Sicily as part of a three-day assessment of the situation of EU borders. They will visit the main migrant centers, including a center for minors, and meet with NGOs and law enforcement officials.