Migration issues in the EU's external relations
The EU Global Approach to Migration
The EU Global Approach to Migration is the EU's strategy for cooperation with third countries in the area of migration. The aim is a comprehensive and integrated approach that comprises all areas of external relations that are relevant to migration and, through concerted action between relevant policy areas (primarily immigration and asylum policy, foreign policy, development cooperation and employment policy), to deal with migration in an efficient, legally secure and humane way. The Global Approach to Migration is implemented through dialogue, cooperation and partnership with countries of origin and transit in the areas of legal migration (including visa policy), illegal immigration (including human trafficking and readmissions), migration and development (including circular migration), asylum, protection issues and returns.
The Global Approach to Migration was adopted in December 2005 and was initially focused on Africa and the Mediterranean region. Since 2007, the Global Approach has also been applied within cooperation with the EU's neighbouring countries to the east and south-east. Four instruments are used in implementing the Global Approach to Migration: 1. migration profiles, 2. migration missions, 3. cooperation platforms for migration and development, 4. partnerships for mobility
