The annual National Conference of EMN Greece was successfully held on November 8, 2024, in Athens, on the topic of “Challenges in the implementation of the new Pact on Migration and Asylum for Greece, as a Member State at the EU’s External Borders”. The Conference was organised in the framework of the European Migration Network (EMN) Action Plan 2023-2025 by the Directorate of European and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, which serves as the National Contact Point for EMN.
The Conference was attended by representatives of EMN National Contact Points in other EU Member States (Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Latvia, Hungary, Poland, Sweden), the Embassies of the EU Member States in our country, the UNHCR Office in Greece, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum and other co-competent Ministries
Ms. A. Grammatikopoulou, Head of the Directorate for European and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, opened the Conference’s proceedings, focusing on the mission and operation of the European Migration Network (EMN) to provide updated and reliable information on migration and asylum to EU institutions, the competent authorities of the EU Member States, and the general public, as well as the importance of the conference’s topic.
Mr. Manos Logothetis, Secretary General for Migration Policy, Ms. Dimitra Lygoura, Secretary General for the Reception of Asylum Seekers, and Mr. Heracles Moskoff, Secretary General for Vulnerable Citizens and Institutional Protection, all delivered welcome addresses.
Ms. A. Psyra, an official of the European Commission Delegation in Greece, then delivered a lecture focusing on the framework for arranging the Commission’s implementation of the new Pact rules and the necessary timeframes.
The first panel discussion focused on the issues of the new system for regulating migrant flows at the European Union’s external borders. Ms. M. Tzortzaki, Head of the European Affairs Department of the Directorate for European and International Cooperation, coordinated the panel, which included representatives from the Ministry of Migration and Asylum (Ms. F. Ipsaralexi, Head of the Directorate for Southern Greece Facilities of the Reception and Identification Service, Ms. V. Kakosimou, Head of the Administrative Support Directorate of the Asylum Service, Ms. S. Kasnakoudi, Head of the Institutional Protection Unit of the General Secretariat for Vulnerable Citizens and Institutional Protection and Mr. Th. Papakonstantinou, Director of the Controlled ccess Facility for Temporary Accommodation of Asylum Seekers of Schisto). The panelists discussed operational challenges and difficulties in individual areas such as infrastructure, human resources, technical equipment, and coordination between competent bodies.
In the ensuing speech at the second part of the day, Commander of the Asylum Service Mr. M. Kaleas emphasized the new Pact as a solid foundation for tackling the shared issues of EU member states, stressing that it establishes mandatory solidarity, a noteworthy accomplishment within the framework of the common European asylum system.
Coordinated by Mr. M. Karavias, Director of the European Public Law Organization’s (EPLO) Mediterranean Centre for Migration and Asylum Policies, the second panel discussion (consisting of Ms. L. Koletta, Head of the Directorate for Legal Support for Asylum and Reception of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, Ms. T. Papadopoulou, Senior Legal Advisor, Special Legal Service/EU of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. V. Saranti, Senior Expert-Advisor of the C4 Directorate of Justice, Home Affairs, Migration and Schengen of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ms. F. Fykata, Head of the Returns and Revocations Directorate, Asylum Service of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum) addressed the difficulties associated with the new solidarity mechanism, the asylum process and returns, questions of how to interpret certain provisions of the Pact, and collaboration with third countries.
Ms. A. Grammatikopoulou, Head of the Directorate of European and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, concluded the conference proceedings by outlining the key findings from the talks that were held.
