At the first meeting of the EU home affairs ministers under Germany’s Council Presidency on 7 July 2020, discussions focused on the European police partnership and on search and rescue at sea/combating human smuggling activity.

Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer stressed the importance of stronger European cooperation among security authorities in response to criminal networks acting across borders. The ministers approved the development of a new EU-police partnership. It should primarily focus on making more effective use of the existing possibilities for the exchange of information. Funding for EU agencies in the area of home affairs (especially Europol and Frontex) should be boosted considerably. As a result, the agencies will be enabled above all to make use of new data analysis technologies such as artificial intelligence.

In order to address the challenges of migration to Europe, the ministers agreed to enhance cooperation with third countries, which is seen as a key part of fighting human smuggling and enabling an effective return policy. A conference hosted by Italy on 13 July 2020 marked the start of closer cooperation with North African countries in this area.