In a written answer to Greek MEP Nikolaos Anadiotis (NI) on 6 August 2026, Commissioner Magnus Brunner, responsible for migration, defended the Commission's position that Spain's plan to regularise up to 500,000 migrants is a national competence, and that the EU has no legal basis to require Madrid to report on identity, security, or public order checks before granting residence permits. Brunner stressed that national authorities must conduct individual security assessments, including consulting the Schengen Information System (SIS), and that a residence permit issued by one member state does not grant the right to settle freely across the EU. If a permit holder is found illegally in another member state or applies for asylum there, they must return to the issuing state, with national authorities obliged to cooperate sincerely.
The answer refers to four earlier parliamentary replies (E-000366/2026, E-000405/2026, E-000522/2026, and P-001628/2026) on the same topic, reiterating the Commission's consistent line that regularisation is a matter for member states. Brunner noted that since 2023, persons subject to a return decision must be flagged in SIS, which helps monitor secondary movements. He also pointed to the upcoming launch of the new Visa Information System (VIS), which will allow Schengen states to exchange data on long-stay visas and residence permits, potentially improving oversight in the future.
The reply is largely declarative, offering no new proposals, deadlines, or numerical targets. It confirms the Commission's hands-off approach, leaving security screening and monitoring to national authorities, while highlighting existing EU tools such as SIS and VIS. The answer signals that the Commission does not intend to intervene in Spain's regularisation process, despite concerns raised by Anadiotis about uneven pressure on member states and internal security. This position may frustrate member states worried about secondary migration, but reassures those favouring national discretion in migration policy. The Commission's reliance on existing instruments and its refusal to impose reporting obligations suggest that any future EU-level coordination on regularisation will be voluntary, not mandatory.