Minister Katelynas briefs Beate Gminder on Lithuania’s home affairs priorities for its EU Council presidency #LT27EU
Minister of the Interior Martynas Katelynas met with Beate Gminder, the European Commission’s Director-General for Migration and Home Affairs. He outlined Lithuania’s preparations for its presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2027 and presented its plans for migration, external border protection, internal security and civil protection.
“When a threat arises at the EU’s external border, we need to make decisions quickly. We know this from experience at our borders with Russia and Belarus. During our presidency, we will work with EU Member States to agree on how to better protect the EU’s external borders and respond jointly to hybrid threats,” said Minister Katelynas.
Lithuania’s priorities on migration and external border protection include reviewing the Frontex Regulation, assessing how the Pact on Migration and Asylum is being applied and digitalising return procedures. Lithuania will also seek closer cooperation with third countries on returns and a more effective EU response to the use of migration as a means of exerting pressure.
On internal security, Lithuania will focus on reviewing the Europol Regulation and improving data sharing between police authorities. It will also work to ensure that law enforcement authorities have effective and lawful access to the data they need for investigations and to advance EU rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse.
Reviewing the Union Civil Protection Mechanism will be a key priority. Lithuania will work to strengthen Member States’ preparedness for crises and their ability to respond together. It will also focus on secure and resilient systems for cross-border critical communications.
Lithuania will also seek to advance negotiations on EU funding for 2028–2034 in the areas of asylum, migration and integration, border management and visa policy, and internal security. Support for Ukraine will be a priority across the presidency’s home affairs agenda.