The need for Europe to establish measures capable of addressing exceptional migration crises—such as the one Greece experienced in Evros in 2020 and, more recently, Spain experienced in Ceuta—is highlighted by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in an article published in Politico.

In his intervention shortly before the emergency videoconference of European ministers taking place today, Tuesday, Mr. Mitsotakis states that “the European Union is increasingly confronted with a more insidious form of hybrid pressure: the deliberate weaponization of migration by state and non-state actors seeking to test Europe’s resilience, undermine its cohesion, and extract political concessions.”

While acknowledging that “the EU has made significant progress on this issue through the Pact on Migration and Asylum,” Mr. Mitsotakis notes that “these tools have been designed for situations that, at their core, remain manageable. They do not adequately address scenarios in which migration is used as a weapon or where migratory flows are organized, intensified, or facilitated in a way that creates a de facto hybrid threat.”

Within this framework, the Greek Prime Minister calls in his Politico article for “a dedicated European framework to address situations of mass and instrumentalized migratory pressure, with clear and objective activation criteria.”

Explaining what such a mechanism should include, Kyriakos Mitsotakis states that, in addition to “accelerated asylum procedures, which should continue to be part of the toolkit, particularly for individuals originating from countries with low rates of recognition of international protection,”

“member states should have the ability, within the framework of a special European emergency regime, to temporarily suspend the submission of asylum applications by newly arrived individuals, while simultaneously proceeding with the rapid return of those who are not entitled to remain, in full compliance with the European Union’s legal obligations.”

The Prime Minister concludes his article by stating that “the European Union must now equip itself with the legal and operational tools required to defend its external borders, deter those seeking to exploit its openness, and respond to this new reality with determination, legality, and collective action.”

The full article by Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Politico

Europe’s security environment has changed fundamentally.

Beyond conventional military threats and cyberattacks, the European Union is increasingly confronted with a more insidious form of hybrid pressure: the deliberate weaponization of migration by state and non-state actors seeking to test Europe’s resilience, undermine its cohesion, and extract political concessions.

Recent events at Europe’s borders, particularly in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, serve as yet another reminder that migration is no longer solely a humanitarian issue or a challenge of management. In certain cases, it has been transformed into a tool of geopolitical coercion.

The EU has made significant progress on this issue through the Pact on Migration and Asylum. It has established mechanisms for managing migratory pressures, including flexibility in procedures and solidarity among member states. However, these tools were designed for situations that, at their core, remain manageable.

They do not adequately address scenarios in which migration is used as a weapon or where migratory flows are organized, intensified, or facilitated in a manner that creates a de facto hybrid threat.

Of course, we do not yet know what caused the situation that unfolded in Ceuta last week. However, similar scenarios are not unprecedented.

Greece faced a comparable situation at its land border with Turkey in Evros in 2020, as did Lithuania, Poland, and Latvia at their borders with Belarus in 2021.

What we observe in these cases is not a gradual increase in arrivals, but sudden, massive, and often coordinated movements of people—sometimes tens of thousands within only a few days—that exceed national capacities and test the overall resilience of the European Union.

Under such extreme conditions, the immediate and full application of normal asylum and reception systems for everyone arriving is not merely difficult—it is often impossible.

Systems risk becoming paralyzed, citizens’ trust is eroded, and the very functioning of the Schengen area comes under pressure.

Europe must recognize this gap and act decisively.

A dedicated European framework is required to address situations of mass and weaponized migratory pressure, with clear and objective activation criteria.

These criteria should combine quantitative elements—such as the scale and speed of arrivals in relation to a country’s capacity—with qualitative indicators, including signs of coordination, facilitation, or involvement by third countries or organized criminal networks.

Once activated, within the framework of a specially designated EU emergency regime, such a mechanism could allow temporary, proportionate, and strictly controlled adjustments to normal procedures.

Accelerated asylum procedures should also continue to be part of the toolkit, particularly for individuals originating from countries with low rates of recognition of international protection.

However, this alone is not enough.

Europe must be honest about the limits of accelerated asylum procedures.

In clearly defined exceptional cases of extreme and disproportionate pressure—whether at land borders or following mass arrivals by sea—member states should have the ability, within the framework of a special European emergency regime, to temporarily suspend the submission of asylum applications by newly arrived individuals, while simultaneously proceeding with the rapid return of those who are not entitled to remain, in full compliance with the European Union’s legal obligations.

This does not represent a departure from Europe’s values, but rather a necessary adjustment to new realities.

Furthermore, any such measures must be strictly temporary, proportionate, and accompanied by strong safeguards.

Full respect for EU law, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and the principle of non-refoulement remains non-negotiable.

At the same time, compliance with international obligations must go hand in hand with the EU’s ability to protect its borders and preserve internal stability.

Equally important is the fact that this balance cannot be maintained without meaningful European solidarity.

No member state facing this type of pressure should be left alone.

Operational support from EU agencies, coordinated return efforts, and financial and technical assistance must be automatically activated whenever such a mechanism is put into operation.

Without such a framework, the risks are clear.

Frontline countries remain exposed, incentives for hostile actors to exploit migration for geopolitical purposes increase, and internal divisions within the Union deepen.

Most importantly, however, public confidence in Europe’s ability to manage its borders effectively, fairly, and collectively will continue to decline.

Europe has always adapted to changing circumstances.

Migration is no exception.

And recognizing that migration can be used as a weapon is not alarmism—it is realism.

The European Union must now equip itself with the legal and operational tools required to defend its external borders, deter those seeking to exploit its openness, and respond to this new reality with determination, legality, and collective action.