Interior, Migration and Asylum Ministers of Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain (the group known as MED5) concluded in Malta a two-day ministerial conference, held on 28 and 29 November 2025, reaffirming their unshakeable commitment to forging a unified political vision to address the most pressing migration challenges on the European agenda. The resulting Joint Declaration, issued after a ‘fruitful debate’, underscores the need for strict implementation of the European Pact on Migration and Asylum, which they see as a ‘fundamental opportunity’ to establish a framework ‘coherent, fair and resilient’ across the European Union.
As frontline Member States in managing external borders, the MED5 countries stressed that the implementation phase of the Pact must remain aligned with the guiding principles of the negotiations, in particular effective solidarity and the fair sharing of responsibility. In this regard, it is essential that the mandatory solidarity mechanism lives up to its promise, ensuring timely, effective and needs-based support to States under migratory pressure. The group also called for increased budget allocations for the internal and external dimensions of migration in the current and upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), noting that the management of external borders by frontline States is conducted for the benefit of the entire Union.
A central part of the Declaration focused on the external dimension of migration policy, which the ministers consider key to tackling irregular migration. The MED5 insists that cooperation with key third countries of origin and transit should be based on mutual trust and benefit all parties. Therefore, they urge the European Commission to ensure continued application of existing partnerships and to work on establishing new global partnerships, including the full and non-discriminatory application of the EU-Turkey Declaration. They also recognized the importance of helping transit countries by promoting assisted voluntary returns, and the need to address the root causes of irregular migration, such as creating more job opportunities for young people in their countries of origin, while exploring ‘possible legal pathways to EU access’ aligned with labor market needs.
The MED5 states declared themselves ‘united in their determination’ to dismantle illicit trafficking networks that take advantage of instability. The commitment involves dismantling their modus operandi, bringing the perpetrators to justice and strengthening operational cooperation. A crucial element of this strategy is the use of strategic communication and awareness campaigns in third countries to counter the ‘false narratives’ spread by traffickers.
Additionally, the group regards an effective return system as an essential component of a credible migration framework, and welcomed the Return Regulation proposal as a key step toward a unified system. The ministers will also seek innovative solutions and urged the Commission to collaborate in establishing pilot projects to strengthen the Union’s migration-management capacity, always in full accordance with applicable legal frameworks.
Regarding EU Agencies, the MED5 stressed the importance of providing sufficient resources to the AAUE and Frontex to support the implementation of the Pact, border management and return activities. The group called for Frontex to focus its primary mission on external border management and return, and even to broaden its mandate to carry out returns directly from third countries. Finally, the ministers urged EU institutions and other member states to cooperate in achieving these objectives, with a view to the next meeting of the Interior Ministers Council, to be held on 8 December 2025.
