European Commission proposes five-point plan to strengthen external border security

On September 29, 2026, the European Commission proposed a five-point plan to prevent, anticipate and respond to sudden large-scale illegal entries, and to strengthen the resilience and security of the EU's external borders. The plan covers strengthening cooperation with partner countries, reinforcing Frontex's mandate and standing corps, improving EUROSUR monitoring and early warning, combating smuggling and human trafficking networks, and strengthening return cooperation. The report said that the number of illegal border crossings had previously fallen to its lowest level since 2021, but this summer's Ceuta crisis exposed shortcomings in emergency response. On the same day, European Commissioner Brunner delivered a speech on the five-point plan at a press conference.