Star appeal: EU Commission Vice-President urges celebrities to mobilise young voters

Has the European Union got it right in its recent migration pact with Egypt?

According to the United Nations, some 34,000 people have entered the EU so far this year outside of regulated channels, mostly across the Mediterranean Sea.

Brussels announced the signing of a €7.4 billion agreement with Egypt on 17 March, which includes provisions to curb migration amid concerns that conflicts overseas could aggravate the refugee crisis.

While rights groups have criticised this pact and other deals with Mauritania and Tunisia for ignoring humanitarian law, the EU maintains these agreements will allow for greater cooperation with the Middle East and Africa and help stabilise cash-strapped economies.

A deal with Lebanon might also be on the cards following reports that Cyprus is struggling to cope with a surge of migrant arrivals from the Middle East.

But how will these pacts affect voting behaviour in the EU Parliament elections and what will the next administration look like amid fears of heightened polarisation? EU Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas shares his insights.

To watch this episode of the Global Conversation, click on the video in the media player above or read the full interview below.

Sasha Vakulina, Euronews: Let's start with one of the most burning issues when it comes to the EU policies - migration. When you became the Commissioner in 2019, it was already an important issue. The crisis is now in a different dimension - there are more conflicts and there is the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. How do you see current EU migration policies, given the recent agreements signed with Egypt and Tunisia, do you think we're going to see more agreements of this kind?

Margaritis Schinas, EU Commission Vice-President: I