On February 5–6, Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise and Head of the Inspection Visits Department Indrek-Ivar Määrits participated in discussions on the EU Migration Pact in Brussels. The legal acts within the package are complex, and their interpretation has led to significant disagreements. The goal is to swiftly determine at the border who may be in need of asylum while ensuring that others are returned. 

The European Union has decided that each member state must have an independent observer to monitor this process. In many countries, assigning this responsibility to the Ombudsman or a national human rights institution (NHRI) is under consideration. The EU intends to strictly oversee the implementation of this monitoring obligation. It was also acknowledged that this responsibility represents a substantial additional workload, requiring stable funding.

The discussion, led in a Poldershop format by the Dutch Ombudsman, focused primarily on the situation in Southern European countries. Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise introduced Estonia’s experience in protecting the EU’s eastern border and the challenges in ensuring asylum rights, particularly in the context of hybrid attacks.