An EU report assessing whether Western Balkan countries continue to meet requirements for visa liberalization showed that despite a drop in illegal crossings, improvement is needed in migration management.
Despite an overall drop in illegal border crossings, improvement in migration management is needed, according to a report monitoring EU visa liberalization requirement compliance with five Western Balkans countries - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia - and three Eastern Partnership countries - Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.
The report was issued Wednesday, August 4, by the European Commission.
Concern over reception capacity in some countries
The report stated that migrant reception capacity in some Western Balkan nations continues to be of concern, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where --the report noted-- an agreement with Frontex will soon be finalized.
The EU executive also called for improved coordination between security forces to more effectively fight organized crime, financial fraud, and money laundering.
Corruption also remains a topic of concern, it added.
'Step up migration management efforts'
"While restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on mobility, visa-free countries in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership must continue to step up their efforts in managing migration and asylum and in fighting corruption and organized crime," EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson said.
Taken as a whole, all the countries assessed in the report continue to meet the requirements for visa liberalization, the report said. It noted that visa liberalization is a mechanism that continues to benefit EU member states and parter countries in economic, social, and cultural ways.