This briefing from the EU Parliament highlights a few trends and key policy developments regarding the management of the EU's external borders. For example:

• The COVID-19 pandemic pushed Member States to adopt extraordinary border measures, including temporary restrictions of non-essential travel into the EU.
   
• The pandemic also affected efforts to implement key EU measures aiming to strengthen the external borders, including the strengthening of Frontex and the expansion of EU-wide information systems for borders and security.
   
• The sudden rise in the number of irregular crossings at the eastern land borders led the affected Member States to take emergency measures to protect the borders. The Commission also proposed EU-wide measures in the field of borders and asylum and new legislation aiming to address situations of instrumentalisation in the field of migration and asylum.
   
• In the context of increased irregular migration through the Western Balkan route, the EU put pressure on the Western Balkan countries (benefiting from EU visa waivers) to further align their visa policies with the EU's list of visa-required third countries, in particular concerning those third countries posing irregular migration or security risks to the EU. As a result, for example, Serbia reinstated visa requirements for nationals of Burundi, Tunisia, India and Bolivia.

For further information, including key trends and key policy developments, please read the full briefing attached below.