On 21 March, the European Council adopted conclusions on Ukraine, security and defence, Middle East, enlargement and reforms, migration, preparedness and crisis response, and the European Semester.

Updates on applications for international protection and relocation. As of February 2024, 4 000 applicants for international protection had been relocated to other European countries under the EU Voluntary Solidarity Mechanism since 2022, with the support of the European Agency for Asylum (EUAA) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). This development marks the completion of half of the pledged relocations.

The EUAA reported that approximately 94 000 applications for international protection had been lodged in the EU+ in January 2024 which was in line with projections.

The EU’s external dimension. As of 1 January 2024, Kosovo passport holders were allowed to travel to the EU without a visa (for up to 90 days within any 180-day period). EU citizens can also travel to Kosovo without a visa. The EU announced support for a project worth € 6.4 million to strengthen border and migration management in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In March, Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen area, although certain restrictions remain in place.

A number of people and entities associated with the Syrian regime were added to the EU sanctions list due to their involvement in trafficking in human beings. This step was prompted by a joint initiative by the Netherlands, Germany, France and Sweden.

Initiatives to support and protect vulnerable groups. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) launched new language versions of the EU Charter trainer’s manual, showing its commitment to reach a wider audience. The Council of Europe and FRA wrote a joint note regarding children in migration and the legal safeguards that apply to them at the EU’s external borders, highlighting their vulnerability, specific needs, and right to special protection. The EUAA adopted a new Stategy on Vulnerability that provides an overarching framework and guidance for asylum and reception practitioners.

The European Parliament and the Council reached an agreement to strengthen rules against trafficking in human beings. This comes in conjunction with newly released data from Eurostat showing an increase of trafficking in human beings in 2022.