EU Council weighs visa cuts for Somali nationals

Brussels – Between 2024 and 2025, the number of Somali nationals arriving irregularly in the European Union has more than doubled. For this reason, EU ministers announced new restrictive visa measures. This was the stance adopted yesterday (4 June) by the Justice and Home Affairs Council, which met in Luxembourg to discuss immigration, with Somalia on the agenda. Having acknowledged that “many journeys (are) facilitated by smuggling networks” and that “cooperation with Somalia on the readmission of its citizens is inadequate,” the 27 member states urged the European Union to strengthen its response, both in Somalia and in transit countries. No further details were provided on this issue, however. 

The Deputy Minister for Migration and International Protection of Cyprus, Nicholas Ioannides, mentioned the possibility of adopting “a holistic approach,” aimed at promoting sincere cooperation and mutually beneficial strategic partnerships with third countries. Ioannides pointed out, however, that when a third country refuses to respond regarding repatriation and readmission, it is necessary to “use all the tools at our disposal, including restrictive visa measures,” reaffirming a stance of closure and rejection towards Somali migrants.

For years, Somalia has been grappling with multiple crises, including a severe civil conflict, the insurgency by the terrorist group Al-Shabaab, and a catastrophic humanitarian emergency linked to drought and climate change. But the EU seems to have little interest in any of this. 

The ministers’ decisions must be viewed within the context of the European Commission’s visa strategy, adopted by the executive in January 2026. The latter already includes restrictive and targeted visa measures to suspend, refuse, or restrict visa applications in response to hostile actions by third countries that undermine the EU’s security. The approach presented yesterday therefore suggests a further tightening of these measures.