Sytuacja w regionie Afryki Północnej i Bliskiego Wschodu a bezpieczeństwo Unii Europejskiej

The current situation in Northern Africa and the Middle East has caused a large-scale influx of illegal refugees to Europe which the European Union was not prepared for. Lampedusa Island was in that context recognized as a humanitarian disaster. The costs related to dealing with the dynamic waves of migrants would significantly destabilize the economic equilibrium of most EU member countries. In order to contain the illegal migration, public funds were administered to the regions mostly affected by the phenomenon, and the external borders protection was strengthened. A significant role in safeguarding the EU borders was played by FRONTEX that applied proportionate power and means in areas that were most affected by the phenomenon. Poland, at the time leading the EU presidency, provided support to countries in need, as it could draw from its rich past experience in the matter. The country also proposed several legislative changes concerning migration policy, the aim of which was to enhance and unify European Union's solutions in this field.