EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner (EVP) intends to expand cooperation with Egypt. Brunner told the Welt (Friday edition) that illegal migration into the EU is significantly declining. He said they plan to continue this trend by taking action in the countries of origin and transit.
Currently, the most active route leads from the Gulf through Egypt to Libya and subsequently into the EU. Brunner, who traveled to Cairo on Thursday for talks, stated that Egypt is thus a key partner if they want to stop this route.
Between January and August 2026, a total of 19,411 irregular entries were registered via the central Mediterranean route, Frontex reported in September. The nationalities most frequently detected were Bangladeshi, Somali, and Algerian. According to the Welt, sources close to Brunner, many traveled via Egyptian airports to Libya and continued on to Greece or Italy from there.
This is exactly where a new transit visa, introduced by Egypt this year, is already being applied. Travelers from Bangladesh must now apply for it at the Egyptian embassy in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, before their journey; issuance upon arrival at the airport is no longer planned. The regulation primarily concerns travelers who used Egypt as an intermediate stopover en route to a third country. The EU is monitoring the implementation and supports an expansion to other nationalities.
Another EU concern is the fight against smugglers. Sources close to Brunner reported that a new working agreement is scheduled to be signed on Thursday between Cepol, the EU agency for the training and professional development of law enforcement, and the Egyptian Ministry of Interior. This agreement is intended to strengthen cooperation with European security authorities.
