EU Commission prepares new tool to counter 'weaponized' migration
Ahead of Ursula von der Leyen's annual State of the Union address, the European Commission is developing a new tool to respond to migration being used as a form of geopolitical pressure. Separately, European leaders are meeting in Finland to discuss deepening the EU's engagement in the Arctic.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will deliver her annual State of the European Union speech on Wednesday, with migration expected to be a major theme. The Commission is working on a new legal tool designed to respond to cases where migration is deliberately used as a means of pressuring the European Union — a tactic seen this summer in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
Sweden's election and migration policy
The speech comes as observers weigh what the recent Swedish general election results could mean for the country's migration policy going forward. Migration was a prominent issue in the Swedish campaign, and the resulting political landscape may bring shifts to the country's existing approach.
Arctic engagement grows
Separately, a group of European leaders and senior EU officials are meeting in Finland as part of a broader push by Brussels to deepen its engagement in the Arctic, a region whose geopolitical importance has been rising. The Arctic is expected to remain high on the EU's agenda throughout the autumn, as the bloc looks to strengthen its presence and influence in the strategically significant region.
