Vice-President Schinas and Commissioner Várhelyi in Vienna for Ministerial conference on migration along the Western Balkan Route

Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, and Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, are taking part in aMinisterial conference on migration along the Western Balkan route in Vienna today and tomorrow. The conference is organised by Austria, and gathers Western Balkan partners, Salzburg Forum countries as well as Denmark, Greece, Germany as current Council Presidency and Switzerland. EASO, Frontex and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development will also be represented. Participants will discuss strengthening operational cooperation in addressing irregular migration, with a focus on border management, returns and fighting migrant smuggling, as well as capacity-building in the area of asylum. The objective of the conference is to promote practical cooperation and support among participating countries to effectively address irregular migration along the Western Balkan route. Audiovisual coverage will be available on EbS.