News item | 18-11-2025 | 16:51
The Netherlands is the first EU member state to host the 8th edition of the International Border Management Conference. This two-day conference, which is entirely dedicated to border management, will take place in Amsterdam on November 18 and 19, 2025. David van Weel, Minister of Asylum and Migration, opened the program with a speech.
Further strengthen international cooperation in border management. That is the aim of this annual conference that annually brings together representatives of partner countries, EU institutions and international organizations.
The Netherlands plays an important pioneering role in stimulating dialogue and knowledge sharing on migration and border management within the European Union in order to set up broad partnerships. During the conference, the Dutch commitment to border management was emphasized:
- stronger external border management and innovation;
- better cooperation with third countries;
- more effective return;
- more digitization and information exchange.
Minister Van Weel: “The challenges in the field of border management are great. We must tackle irregular migration and cross-border crime and at the same time invest in more returns. That is why it is good to come together with so many countries today to share our knowledge and strengthen cooperation.”
The introduction of the European Asylum and Migration Pact, the Entry/Exit System (EES), and the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), among other things, were discussed. This happened during interactive panel discussions and work sessions. There was also room to discuss new technological developments, such as digital border control systems and data sharing between countries. Attention was also paid to the role of education and training of border guards.
Conference background
The International Border Management Conference has been an annual event since 2018 that brings together professionals and experts in the field of border management worldwide. It is organized by International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). Previous editions were in Turkey (2023) and Tunisia (2024).