Hosting the annual Western Balkans Summit under the Berlin Process, Prime Minister Keir Starmer brought together leaders of the WB6, EU officials and international financial institutions in London on 22 October. The Chair’s Conclusions devote an entire section to irregular migration, agreeing that the Western Balkans remains a critical transit route for migrants seeking entry to the EU and UK.
Leaders welcomed the region’s progress in aligning visa regimes with EU standards and endorsed the creation of a Joint Migration Task Force to share biometric data and intelligence. The UK pledged £1 million to the International Organization for Migration’s Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programmes, signalling a shift towards “up-stream” deterrence and humanitarian returns.
For employers moving staff between the UK and Southeastern Europe, the summit commitments could yield more predictable border procedures and faster recognition of professional qualifications as part of the Common Regional Market agenda. The summit also highlighted youth brain-drain concerns and called for circular-mobility schemes to turn migration into an economic opportunity rather than a loss.
Interior-minister-level talks later this year will flesh out data-sharing protocols. Mobility practitioners should track these developments, particularly any new requirements for biometric traveller data or changes to visa-free transit rules through the region.
Leaders welcomed the region’s progress in aligning visa regimes with EU standards and endorsed the creation of a Joint Migration Task Force to share biometric data and intelligence. The UK pledged £1 million to the International Organization for Migration’s Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programmes, signalling a shift towards “up-stream” deterrence and humanitarian returns.
For employers moving staff between the UK and Southeastern Europe, the summit commitments could yield more predictable border procedures and faster recognition of professional qualifications as part of the Common Regional Market agenda. The summit also highlighted youth brain-drain concerns and called for circular-mobility schemes to turn migration into an economic opportunity rather than a loss.
Interior-minister-level talks later this year will flesh out data-sharing protocols. Mobility practitioners should track these developments, particularly any new requirements for biometric traveller data or changes to visa-free transit rules through the region.
