European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner says the European Union must make legal travel easier for Pakistanis. He called the nearly 50 per cent Schengen visa refusal rate for Pakistani applicants “too much.” Speaking during his first official visit to Pakistan, he acknowledged that genuine travellers face long delays and limited appointment slots. He said the EU must coordinate better and speed up the process.
Brunner also said applicants must submit stronger documents, because incomplete or weak paperwork contributes to refusals. Visa decisions rest mainly with individual member states. He said the European Commission is using its visa strategy to improve coordination among them and remove unnecessary obstacles for legitimate applicants.
During the visit, Brunner met President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
They discussed migration management, legal mobility, border security, human smuggling, counterterrorism and regional stability. Both sides welcomed the sharp fall in irregular migration from Pakistan to Europe. Brunner cited a drop of more than 50 per cent, while Pakistani officials cited a 64 per cent decrease over the past 18 months.
Brunner said controlling irregular migration gives Europe more political room to expand legal migration. He warned young Pakistanis against relying on human smugglers. He singled out the route through the Gulf, Egypt and Libya towards Italy and Greece as the deadliest. He urged them to pursue education, build marketable skills and use lawful pathways.
He said Europe’s demographic change and labour shortages make skilled foreign workers increasingly important. He admitted the EU-Pakistan Talent Partnership has not yet reached its full potential. His visit aimed to find ways to match the skills of young Pakistanis with the needs of European economies. He praised Italy for creating opportunities for foreign workers and urged other member states to do more.
Brunner welcomed Pakistan’s own efforts to develop legal labour pathways, including its arrangements with South Korea. He said cooperation under the EU-Pakistan readmission agreement is progressing, with the return rate currently around 30 per cent and room to improve.
According to Brunner, Pakistani authorities reaffirmed their commitment to taking back nationals who stay illegally in the EU.
On security, Brunner described counterterrorism and efforts against radicalisation as shared goals. He also praised Pakistan’s diplomatic role in easing tensions between Iran and the United States, saying Islamabad has proved itself a credible intermediary.
The EU wants to cut irregular migration further and dismantle smuggling networks, but it also says it needs to expand safe, orderly and legal opportunities for skilled Pakistanis. The coming months will show whether that commitment leads to easier visa access, better skill matching programmes and more practical legal routes for Pakistani workers and professionals.
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