In the period from October 2025 to December 2025, there have been several changes and updates that have affected European Union migration policy, also regionally.
In the EU context, on October 12, the automatic EES system began operating, which records the arrival of third-country nationals for short-term stays. This system will be gradually adopted in the Member States. Additionally, on November 18, a decision was made on the establishment of the EU Talent Pool, which will be the first EU-wide platform that will support the international recruitment of skills and talents from third countries at all skill levels, in order to fill occupations in which there is a labor shortage.
There are also updates in the Baltic Sea region, starting with Sweden, which on December 19 adopted a provisional plan regarding 2026 priorities, focusing on the return of emigrants.
On October 3, Finland completed a review of the definition of a national travel document required for the issuance of a residence permit and the determination of citizenship status. As a result of the review, it was concluded that travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority meet the requirements and are considered national travel documents. On December 22, Finland announced that it will introduce stricter conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit.
In Latvia, amendments to the Immigration Law adopted on October 2 provide for greater restrictions on the issuance of residence permits to persons with a criminal history. On December 3, amendments to the Law on Support for Ukrainian Civilians were adopted, reducing the planned 2026 budget by 25 million euros compared to 2025, adjusting the support to current needs and budget constraints. Based on the fragile security situation at the Belarusian border, Latvia decided on December 22 to extend the reinforced border guard system until June 30, 2026.
In the period under review, the member states and observer countries of the European Migration Network have implemented various reforms, focusing on security, employment, and integration. More detailed information is available in the quarterly report.