Immigration overshadowed defence at the opening day of the Munich Security Conference on 14 February. In a keynote address, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio lauded transatlantic unity but accused Europe of risking “civilisational erosion” through what he called uncontrolled migration. He urged EU leaders to tighten external borders and speed up deportations.
French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking minutes later, pushed back, arguing that Europe is already overhauling asylum rules and rolling out the biometric Entry/Exit System as proof of “responsibility without renouncing openness.” Macron highlighted France’s own tougher integration tests and continued internal Schengen controls, but warned that framing migration as an existential threat “plays into extremists’ hands.”
Businesses and individual travellers looking for practical assistance with France-related visas or broader Schengen entry requirements can streamline the process through VisaHQ. The service offers real-time eligibility checks, document pre-screening and end-to-end application handling, helping mobility teams stay ahead of changing rules like the Entry/Exit System or the forthcoming ‘Bienvenue en France Pro’ visa. More details are available at https://www.visahq.com/france/
![Migration debate dominates Munich Security Conference as Macron defends EU approach]()
The exchange matters for global mobility programmes because it signals that immigration will remain a flash-point in US-EU relations—and may yet influence the pace of EU digital-border projects that companies rely on for smoother staff travel. Diplomats say Rubio’s remarks could stiffen conservative opposition in the European Parliament, complicating ratification of the EU Talent Pool regulation that French tech firms hope will fast-track non-EU hires.
Conference organisers added a last-minute session on labour-market demography after several CEOs, including Airbus France’s Guillaume Faury, warned that Europe risks missing growth targets without attracting more foreign engineers. The French delegation used the forum to pitch its new ‘Bienvenue en France Pro’ visa, due to launch in June, which cuts processing times for intra-company transfers to ten days—provided applicants pass the forthcoming civics test.
For mobility managers, the takeaway is twofold: expect political volatility around EU immigration files this spring, but also anticipate competitive liberalisation at member-state level as countries vie for talent ahead of the 2027 economic-convergence targets.
French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking minutes later, pushed back, arguing that Europe is already overhauling asylum rules and rolling out the biometric Entry/Exit System as proof of “responsibility without renouncing openness.” Macron highlighted France’s own tougher integration tests and continued internal Schengen controls, but warned that framing migration as an existential threat “plays into extremists’ hands.”
Businesses and individual travellers looking for practical assistance with France-related visas or broader Schengen entry requirements can streamline the process through VisaHQ. The service offers real-time eligibility checks, document pre-screening and end-to-end application handling, helping mobility teams stay ahead of changing rules like the Entry/Exit System or the forthcoming ‘Bienvenue en France Pro’ visa. More details are available at https://www.visahq.com/france/
The exchange matters for global mobility programmes because it signals that immigration will remain a flash-point in US-EU relations—and may yet influence the pace of EU digital-border projects that companies rely on for smoother staff travel. Diplomats say Rubio’s remarks could stiffen conservative opposition in the European Parliament, complicating ratification of the EU Talent Pool regulation that French tech firms hope will fast-track non-EU hires.
Conference organisers added a last-minute session on labour-market demography after several CEOs, including Airbus France’s Guillaume Faury, warned that Europe risks missing growth targets without attracting more foreign engineers. The French delegation used the forum to pitch its new ‘Bienvenue en France Pro’ visa, due to launch in June, which cuts processing times for intra-company transfers to ten days—provided applicants pass the forthcoming civics test.
For mobility managers, the takeaway is twofold: expect political volatility around EU immigration files this spring, but also anticipate competitive liberalisation at member-state level as countries vie for talent ahead of the 2027 economic-convergence targets.
