The interior ministers of the five Mediterranean European countries—Italy, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, and Malta—concluded the two-day “Med5” summit in Naples.

The meeting was attended by Magnus Brunner, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, and Hans Leitenberger, the Executive Director of Frontex.

The ministers issued a joint declaration focusing on enhancing Frontex’s role and intensifying efforts to combat irregular migration, including expanding agreements with third countries regarding returns.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi emphasized the importance of strengthening the agency and combating human trafficking, stressing the need to maintain adequate funding to launch an initiative for voluntary returns.