Promoting our European way of life

Delivering on our promises

In an increasingly unpredictable world, we made it a priority to protect our citizens and ensure our common security. In the face of ever-changing and evolving threats, we chose a holistic approach to security and worked on tools to keep Europeans safe. We protected and ensured the good functioning of our external borders, overseeing the safe and successful enlargement of the Schengen area. And following Russia’s unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, we stepped up our defence capabilities and strengthened our partnership with NATO. 

With Europeans showing increasing concern over the issue of migration and asylum, we also focused our attention on developing a common system to manage migration. This work resulted in the Pact on Migration and Asylum, where no Member State is left alone to deal with the pressures of migration and asylum is handled in a dignified and sustainable way. We also harnessed the positive potential of migration, by launching talent partnerships with key partner countries.  

As COVID-19 was overcome, we committed ourselves to better prepare the EU to face public health emergencies in the future. To achieve this, we started to build the European Health Union, in which all EU countries prepare and respond together to health crises. This Union is now making sure that medical supplies are available, affordable and innovative, and that countries work together to improve prevention, treatment and aftercare for all sorts of diseases, including cancer. 

Promises kept

Managing migration 

• We adopted the Pact on Migration and Asylum in 2024, establishing a unified system to manage migration sustainably, with mechanisms for solidarity among member states facing migratory surges.
• The Blue Card Directive entered into force in November 2021, allowing highly qualified workers from non-EU countries to benefit from fast-track admission procedures to come and contribute to the EU’s economic competitiveness.
• Talent Partnerships were prepared with key partner countries, including Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
• In 2023, we proposed an EU Talent Pool that will connect employers in the EU with international jobseekers.
• The European Asylum Support Office was transformed into a full-fledged asylum agency: the EU Agency for Asylum, with more tools to support Member States in asylum and reception management.
• Frontex staff have been deployed at the EU external borders and its Standing Corps will reach 10,000 members by 2027.
• A Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling (2023) and updated legislation strengthened efforts to combat smuggling, supported by Europol.   

Enlarging the Schengen area 

• The Schengen area was successfully enlarged to include Croatia, Romania, and Bulgaria, and its governance and rules updated.  

Fighting terrorism and organised crime 

• Concrete actions have been taken to better prevent and respond to terrorist threats based on the Counter-Terrorism Agenda presented in 2020.
• In February 2021, new rules on reinforced control of legally held firearms and access to explosives entered into force.
• We launched a European Ports Alliance to increase the resilience of ports against criminal infiltration by reinforcing the work of customs authorities, law enforcement, and public and private actors in ports across the EU.
• In July 2024, revised rules to fight trafficking in human beings entered into force. These rules add forced marriage, illegal adoption, and surrogacy, as types of exploitation. 

Police cooperation 

• Europol and Eurojust mandates have been strengthened alongside new resources to support national police in cross-border investigations, and a faster response to organised crime and terrorism. 

Strengthening critical infrastructure and cyber resilience 

• The Critical Entities Resilience Directive entered into force in 2023, strengthening our resilience against natural hazards, terrorist attacks, sabotage, and public emergencies for critical entities.
• The NIS2 Directive expands cybersecurity rules to cover new sectors, such as telecoms providers, postal services, public administration, and healthcare.
• The Digital Operational Resilience Act, in force since 2023, makes sure the financial sector in Europe can continue functioning at all times in case of operational disruption.
• The Cyber Resilience Act, agreed in 2023, improves the level of cybersecurity of digital products, from baby monitors, smart watches, and computer games to firewalls and routers.  

Combating child sexual abuse 

• In 2022, we proposed legislation to prevent and tackle child sexual abuse online, to protect children in the real and online world.  

European Health Union 

• The Commission established its own Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) to ensure that the EU and Member States are ready to act in the face of cross-border health threats.
• We set up a Critical Medicines Alliance to identify challenges and policy solutions to medicines shortages, and in December 2023 we presented the first version of a Union list of critical medicines.
• A European Health Data Space was agreed in 2024 that empowers people to control and utilise their health data across the EU and fosters a single market for digital health services and products.
• In 2021, we launched Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, which will make €4 billion of funding available to fight cancer. 

Learn more about what the Commission has done to manage migration responsibly and make Europe more secure