Migration-vagueness in Bratislava Declaration unavoidable

The Roadmap (workprogramme) from the European Council´s Bratislava meeting on Friday 16 September identifies migration as an important common challenge, but the description of the EU´s long term policy is vague

Objective: Broaden EU consensus on long term migration policy and apply the principles of responsibility and solidarity

Concrete measure: work to be continued to broaden EU consensus in terms of long term migration policy, including on how to apply the principles of responsibility and solidarity in the future 

It could not be more specific. The vagueness reflects the high level of conflict. In reality it is probably not even support for the cited formulations - cf. PM Orban´s criticism.

Migration is a question with major and different implications for the member states. It represents challenges of such a magnitude that adaptations in the practice of EU law and international legislation is needed. To argue for more Europe or cling to political correctness of yesterday in this area is difficult. 

The revolt against undesirable migration seems to escalate in the European countries. On Sunday Chancellor Merkel got a bad election result  in Berlin while the anti-immigration party AfD triumphed. On Monday Switzerland and the European Commission said they had come closer to agreeing a deal on Swiss efforts to curb immigration while preserving its access to the EU single market. Yesterday UK PM May advocated the need for a new approach to migration in her address to the UN General Assembly.

The Roamap´s vagueness concerning migration long term policy does not mean that the Bratislava meeting was a failure. But it shows that EU cooperation must be oriented to the tasks and areas where it provides enough added value and not creates conflicts which at worst will destroy the Union.