Frontex data show illegal border crossings into the EU fell by about 22% from January to October, totaling roughly 152,000 unauthorized entries in the first ten months of the year.

Two-thirds of member states endorsed a separate statement advocating a more conservative interpretation of the law, signaling strong appetite for tougher migrant policies.

Discussions in Strasbourg focused on interpreting and possibly reforming the Convention to balance migrant rights with national security, with plans for a May political declaration and a new anti-smuggling recommendation.

The EU is investing in deterrence while also addressing labor shortages and aging populations by attracting and training foreign workers, reflecting a dual approach to migration policy.

There is momentum for a less restrictive interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights, with 27 nations signing a statement advocating a balance between migrants’ rights and public safety, while a separate group of 9 nations pushes for reforms to curb court powers.

In Strasbourg, the Council of Europe will discuss making deportations easier for signatories of major treaties, reflecting a broader regional push beyond the EU.

European leaders from 27 EU member states gather in Brussels to discuss tightening migration policies, with a focus on countering migrant smuggling and a keynote from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

There is growing consensus among member states to consider a political declaration on migration and a new recommendation to deter human smuggling, while reaffirming commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights.

A cross-ideological shift toward tougher migration policies is taking shape in Europe as centrists seek to blunt far-right gains while balancing human rights considerations.

The European Court of Human Rights, not an EU institution, handles complaints under the European Convention on Human Rights and remains central to migration and asylum rulings across Europe.

A nine-nation effort last year, including Denmark, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, sought to curb the Court’s powers to ease expulsions of criminal migrants, though the bid did not succeed and support has grown among some governments.

Council of Europe Secretary-General Alain Berset reiterates that the European Convention on Human Rights is the essential safeguard of individual rights and freedoms, tying Europe’s migration policy to fundamental rights.