MEP Stanisław Tyszka (ESN) has questioned the European Commission on whether the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Global Europe is effectively curbing irregular migration from North Africa, or merely displacing migratory pressure to other routes. In a written parliamentary question submitted on 1 July 2026, Tyszka points to Frontex data showing that while crossings on the Central Mediterranean route fell by 49% year-on-year in the first five months of 2026, the Western Mediterranean route from Algeria to Spain saw a 46% upturn, suggesting smuggling gangs are adapting and shifting operations.
how much NDICI funding for 2021-2025, broken down by country, has been earmarked for migration management in Tunisia, Egypt, Mauritania, Morocco and Libya; whether the funding mechanisms are flexible enough to keep pace with rapidly evolving migratory routes; and whether the Commission has evidence that NDICI funding has brought about a permanent reduction in irregular border crossings rather than simply shifting pressure. The question implies that the instrument may be failing to achieve its objective of durable reduction, as smuggling networks reroute their activities.
Tyszka's intervention targets the EU's flagship external migration policy tool, which allocates billions of euros to border management, anti-smuggling operations, and return and reintegration programmes in North African partner countries. The MEP's concerns echo broader debates about the effectiveness of externalising migration control, with stakeholders including EU taxpayers funding the instrument, national authorities in North African states receiving the funds, and EU border states like Italy and Spain facing fluctuating arrival numbers. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its answer will signal whether it views the shifting routes as a sign of success (interdiction) or failure (displacement).