Europe’s South braces for migrant surge

European Council President Antonio Costa rings the doorbell during a summit of the European Union and determination partners' leaders successful Nicosia (Lefkosia), Cyprus, connected April 24, 2026. [Yiannis Kourtoglou/Reuters]

Leaders from Cyprus, Greece, Malta and Italy met connected the sidelines of an informal EU summit successful Ayia Napa connected Friday, issuing a associated declaration to coordinate efforts to forestall a caller migration situation akin to the 1 that struck Europe successful 2015.

The gathering came against the backdrop of continuing tensions successful the Middle East, which European officials fearfulness could trigger caller waves of displacement toward the continent’s southern shores.

Italy submitted a non-paper outlining specific contingency measures that could beryllium activated if migratory unit intensifies. The proposals included temporary exceptions to standard procedures antecedently employed during the 2015 crisis, among them mandatory relocations crossed each EU member-states, suspension of the Dublin Regulation, exigency rescue operations and the temporary reintroduction of borderline controls.

Cyprus besides pushed a broader information agenda. President Nikos Christodoulides called for a factual operational program to activate Article 42.7 of the EU Treaty – the bloc’s communal defence clause, sometimes called “the European Article 5 of NATO.” Speaking astatine a property league pursuing the session, Christodoulides said the proviso “cannot stay theoretical” and indispensable go “fully operational,” warning that the EU cannot credibly assertion strategic autonomy otherwise. He added that member-states from crossed the union’s geographic spectrum would submit proposals to the European Commission.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece would use its EU Council presidency successful the 2nd fractional of 2027 to further elevate these discussions.

Leaders besides addressed the EU’s adjacent Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028-2034. European Council President Antonio Costa acceptable a target of reaching statement by the extremity of 2026, with elaborate figures to beryllium prepared by the Cypriot presidency up of the June summit.

The informal assembly concluded with discussions betwixt European leaders and their counterparts from Lebanon, Egypt, Syria and Jordan.