The second edition of the State of Asylum Conference 2026 will take place the 28 September 2026 in Malta.
Taking place approximately 100 days after the entry into application of the new Pact on Migration and Asylum, this year’s State of Asylum Conference represents the European Union’s first opportunity to discuss the initial phase of implementation.
Bringing together high-level political, policy and technical stakeholders — alongside representatives from academia, civil society and the media — the Conference will take stock of the transition to the new legal framework. What tangible results have emerged so far, and what challenges remain ahead?
The Conference will also look forward. How can the “new” Common European Asylum System be further strengthened, and how can implementation be made more effective and efficient? The second half of the programme will focus on technological solutions and their potential to enhance asylum and reception systems.
As artificial intelligence, advanced software, cloud computing, new hardware, and mobile applications increasingly permeate all areas of society, they are driving profound and transformative change. How can the European multinational asylum system benefit from these developments while ensuring full respect for fundamental rights and safeguarding the right to an individual assessment?
Download the report of the State of Asylum Conference 2025.
For further information, please contact the EUAA State of Asylum Conference Team at
Asylum-Conference@euaa.europa.eu.
Conference Venue
Conference Venue
The Conference will be held at the Westin Dragonara Resort, St. Julian’s, Malta.
Conference Photos
Find photos from the 2025 Conference via the dedicated Flickr page.
Reimbursement Information
In-Person participation in the Conference falls under the Decision of the Executive Director of the EUAA detailing the rules concerning the reimbursement of the costs incurred by persons invited to attend EUAA activities (EUAA/EDD/2024/079).
If you have any reimbursement-related questions, you may reach out to the EUAA State of Asylum Conference team at Asylum-Conference@euaa.europa.eu.
Contact Us
Should you require any further information concerning any of the logistical details related to the Conference, you may contact the EUAA State of Asylum Conference Team at Asylum-Conference@euaa.europa.eu.
EUAA State of Asylum Conference Agenda
Monday 28, September 2026
08:30 – 09:00
Registration & welcome coffee
09:00 – 09:15
Welcome by Conference host
Mira Banerjee, Head of the Communications and Public Relations Unit, EUAA
Keynote speeches
09:15 – 09:30
Opening address
Nina Gregori, Executive Director of the EUAA
09:30– 09:45
Keynote speech
Antonella Sberna, Vice-President of the European Parliament
09:45 - 10:00
Keynote speech - video message
Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, European Commission
Launch of EUAA Masters in Asylum and Reception Management programme
Rachelle Cortis, Head of Training and Professional Development Centre, EUAA
10:10 - 10:40
Coffee break
Taking stock: 100 (104) days into the entry into application of the Pact
10:40 - 10:45
Video "Pact implementation in action"
10:45 – 12:15
Three months into implementing the Pact
Moderator: Nina Gregori, Executive Director of the EUAA
Panel Discussion
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Silvia Michelini, Director for Borders, Migration and Security in Member States, and EU Solidarity Coordinator, European Commission
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Colm Brophy, Minister of State for Migration of Ireland (Presidency of the Council of the EU)
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Philippe Leclerc, UNHCR Director of Europe Bureau
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Birgit Sippel, Member of European Parliament and Chair of the LIBE Committee Working Group on Asylum - Implementation of the Pact/CEAS
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Sirpa Rautio, Director of EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)
12:15 – 13:45
Lunch & networking
Modernising asylum and reception management through technology
13:45 – 13:55
Keynote speech - video message
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, European Commission
13:55 – 15:25
Digitalising the Pact
Moderator: Ali Al-Jaberi
Panel discussion
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Katrin Hirseland, Vice President, Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), Germany
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Richard Dixon, Head of International Protection Office, Ireland
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Raoul Ueberecken, Director & Digital Transformation Officer, General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union
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Lorenzo Rinaldi, Head of Business and Stakeholder Relations Unit (eu-LISA)
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Julie Lejeune, Director of European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)
15:25 – 16:00
Coffee break
16:00 - 17:15
AI in international protection: how to start and where to stop
Moderator: Ali Al-Jaberi
Panel discussion
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Raymond Kok, Head of the Data Expertise Centre, Immigration and Naturalisation Service, the Netherlands
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Matthew Dixon, Programme Director (PD) for the Asylum Transformation Programme, Deputy Director, UK Home Office.
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Gemma Galdón-Clavell, Founder and CEO, Eticas ai
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Berit Gravdahl, Senior Adviser at UDI, Norwegian Directorate of Immigration
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Berna Kalkan, Digital Innovation Coordinator, EUAA
17:15 – 17:30
Closing remarks
Nina Gregori, Executive Director of the EUAA
17:30 – 20:00
Evening reception and networking
Opening Address
Nina Gregori, Executive Director of the European Agency for Asylum (EUAA)
Nina Gregori is the Executive Director of the European Agency for Asylum (EUAA), having taken over her duties on 16 June 2019. Ms. Gregori previously worked at the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia for over 20 years, occupying the Senior Management post of Director General (or Deputy Director General) for over a decade, responsible for asylum, migration, integration, and internal administrative affairs. She was actively involved in the drafting of Slovenian positions on migration, asylum, the Schengen area and visas since 1999, and chaired the Strategic Committee on Immigration, Frontiers and Asylum (SCIFA) during the 2008 Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU. She participated in more than 120 Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial meetings as leader or member of the Slovenian delegation. She was permanent member in the OECD's Expert Working Group Migration and a longstanding member of the Advisory Board of ICMPD, and she served as permanent member of various delegations of Slovenia in procedures and instruments of the United Nations and the Council of Europe.
Ms. Gregori has been actively involved in the development and work of EASO/EUAA since its beginning and was a member of the Agency's Management Board from 2015 until taking up her duties as Executive Director.
Conference Host
Mira Banerjee, Head of Communication and Public Relations Unit, EUAA
Mira Banerjee is a communications and public engagement professional with extensive experience in European and international organisations, including EU agencies, UNHCR and the Nordic Development Fund. Throughout her career, she has worked extensively on asylum and migration, human rights and gender equality, international development, climate change, science and technology, and EU and international affairs. She currently leads communications at the European Union Agency for Asylum, working closely with EU institutions, Member States and international partners to communicate complex policy and operational issues to diverse audiences. She is a Finnish citizen and holds a Master of Social Sciences in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of Tampere.
Keynote Speech
Antonella Sberna, Vice-President European Parliament
Antonella Sberna is an Italian politician and a Member of the European Parliament since 2024. She is a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists political group (ECR), and she was elected Vice-President of the European Parliament on 16 July 2024. In this role, she is responsible, among other duties, for interreligious dialogue (Article 17 TFEU) and relations with regions and local authorities. She is also part of several internal working groups and is responsible for the European Week for Gender Equality. She is a full member of the Committee on Regional Development (REGI) and the Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union (HOUS), as well as a substitute member of the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI). She holds a degree in Public Relations from IULM University in Milan and a master's degree in public and Parliamentary Affairs from LUMSA University in Rome.
Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, European Commission
Magnus Brunner is the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, a position he holds since December 1, 2024. In this role, he is responsible for strengthening internal security, designing and implementing Migration and Asylum policies, enforcing integrated border management and leading the dialogue with religious and philosophical associations. Prior to his current role, Mr Brunner served as Austria's Federal Minister of Finance from December 2021 to November 2024. He also held the position of State Secretary in the Ministry of Climate Action, Energy, Environment, Mobility Innovation, and Technology from January 2020 to December 2021. Earlier in his career, he was a member of the Federal Council for the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) from May 2009 to January 2020. Mr Brunner holds a Doctor of Law degree from the University of Vienna and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from King's College London. He was born and raised in the region of Vorarlberg, Austria.
Launch of EUAA Masters in Asylum and Reception Management programme
Rachelle Cortis, Head of the Training and Professional Development Centre, EUAA
Rachelle Cortis is the Head of the Training and Professional Development Centre at the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), in this role, she oversees the continuous development and evolution of the European Asylum Curriculum, ensuring high-quality, harmonised, and practice-oriented training that promotes convergence, professional excellence, and compliance with Union law on asylum and reception. Under her leadership, the EUAA Academy has become a licensed qualifications provider. The launch of the European Executive Master’s in Asylum and Reception Management will help strengthen professionalisation across the European asylum system.
Since joining the Agency in July 2012, Ms Cortis has held several key leadership positions shaping the Agency’s training and capacity-building strategy including enhanced cooperation with Member States, EU institutions, academia, and international partners.
Prior to joining the Agency, Ms. Cortis held senior roles within various national ministries, such as Senior Programme Manager and Assistant Refugee Commissioner, gaining extensive operational and policy experience in international protection.
Panel 1 – Three Months into implementing the Pact
Moderator: Nina Gregori, Executive Director of the European Agency for Asylum (EUAA)
Silvia Michelini, Director for Borders, Migration and Security in Member States in the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME) and EU Solidarity Coordinator
Silvia Michelini is the Director for Borders, Migration and Security in Member States in the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), responsible for coordinating the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, for Schengen evaluations, Interoperability and Digitalisation as well as for programmes in 14 Member States. She also acts as EU Solidarity Coordinator under the Asylum and Migration Management Regulation. She previously served as Director and before that as Head of Unit in the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) in several areas, from international affairs to policy development, programming and financial management. She holds a degree in Political Science with a focus on International Affairs from LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome and a Master in Journalism.
Colm Brophy, Minister of State for Migration of Ireland (Presidency of the Council of the EU)
Colm Brophy is Minister of State with special responsibility for Migration.
He served as Minister of State with responsibility for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora from 2 July 2020 to 21 December 2022. He is a Fine Gael TD representing Dublin South-West. Colm has a long history serving the people of our community and is honoured to have been elected to represent Dublin Southwest.
Prior to his election to Dáil Éireann, Colm served on South Dublin County Council from 2008-2016.
Philippe Leclerc, Director of Europe Bureau UNHCR
Philippe Leclerc has been the UN Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Ukraine Situation and Europe Bureau Director of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since 2 October 2023. He graduated in International Law in Paris in 1986 and served as Cultural Attaché for the Embassy of France in Tirana, Albania (1987-1988). He has been working for UNHCR since 1990 in various positions throughout the world. Over more than three decades with the organisation, he has held protection roles in Cameroon, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, and Slovenia, headed UNHCR's Liaison Office for Switzerland and Liechtenstein in Geneva, and served as Assistant Chief of Mission in Kabul, Afghanistan (2002–2003) and Head of the Statelessness Unit at UNHCR Headquarters (2004–2008). He was Deputy-Representative in Damascus, Syria (2008–2010), participated in numerous emergency field missions, including to the Central African Republic, and served as UNHCR Representative in France (2010–2015), Greece (2015–2020), and Türkiye (2021–2023), before taking up his current position.
Birgit Sippel, Member of the European Parliament
Birgit Sippel has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2009. She sits on the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), serving as the Coordinator for the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) since 2014. Her work focuses on data protection, criminal law and victims' rights, and migration and asylum. She chairs the working group on the implementation of the Common European Asylum System.
After concluding negotiations on a screening procedure for third-country nationals at the external borders, she now leads the negotiations on updated rules to counter the facilitation of irregular entry, transit and residence in the EU. Within this, she has commissioned a targeted substitute Impact Assessment highlighting several misalignments with international and EU law standards, the absence of a clear distinction between facilitation offences and the legitimate provision of humanitarian assistance, and a general lack of human rights safeguards.
Sirpa Rautio, Director EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)
Sirpa Rautio, from Finland, is Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), a role she has held since March 2024. Under her leadership, FRA has continued to support EU Member States and institutions in strengthening the protection of fundamental rights in the areas of migration, asylum and border management, including under the Pact on Migration and Asylum. A particular focus of the Agency’s work has been supporting national monitoring mechanisms to assess compliance with fundamental rights during screening and asylum border procedures.
Ms Rautio founded and led Finland's National Human Rights Institution, the Finnish Human Rights Centre, from 2012 to 2024, and chaired the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions from 2022 to 2024. She worked for 20 years in international organisations including the World Bank, the UN, the Council of Europe and the OSCE. She holds a degree in Law from the University of Turku.
Keynote Speech
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, European Commission
As Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Ms Henna Virkkunen is tasked with combatting the increasingly complex security threats facing the EU, whilst at the same time strengthening our external borders and our internal security. This goes hand in hand with her responsibility to ensure our freedoms, justice and democracy are strengthened too.
Furthermore, she is responsible for the Digital and Frontier Technologies portfolio. This entails leading Europe’s efforts in shaping a competitive, resilient and inclusive digital future and maintaining or attaining leadership in strategic digital technologies.
Prior to joining the European Commission Ms Virkkunen served as a Member of the European Parliament for over ten years. As a Member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy her work focused on digitalisation and frontier technologies.
Ms Virkkunen has held various ministerial positions in Finland, namely Minister of Transport and Local Government (2014), Minister of Public Administration and Local Government (2011-2014) as well as Minister of Education (2008-2011).
Panel 2 – Digitalising the Pact
Moderator: Ali Al Jaberi
Katrin Hirseland, Vice President Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), Germany
Katrin Hirseland has worked at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) of Germany for over 20 years and has served as the agency’s Vice President since August 2022. She studied political science, Japanese studies and intercultural communication in Tübingen, Seattle, and Kyoto. Since 2003, she has held various positions at the BAMF, including head of several divisions in the integration department, chief of staff, head of the agency’s communications unit and head of the Research Department.
Prior to joining the BAMF, she worked as a project manager in the field of integration and social cohesion at the Bertelsmann Foundation.
As Vice President at the BAMF, she is responsible for the operational work in the areas of asylum and integration at the agency’s 50 regional offices, as well as for digitalisation and HR, with a particular focus on administrative transformation and modernisation.
Richard Dixon, Chief International Protection Officer, Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Ireland
Richard Dixon works in the Department of Justice where he is the Chief International Protection Officer and a Director of the state’s immigration service. The International Protection Office is responsible for processing and examining applications for international protection and for implementing the EU Migration and Asylum Pact. He serves on the Department’s Culture and EDI committees, as well as the Passport Reform Board of the Department of Foreign Affairs. He is the Irish Government’s representative on the Management Board of the European Union Asylum Agency. He has a particular interest in data, technology and innovation. He holds qualifications in Economics and Statistics. Prior to joining the public sector in 2021, Richard worked in the not-for-profit sector for over thirty years. Outside of work, he has served on the boards of a number of charities and is a mentor of his daughters’ Irish football team.
Raoul Ueberecken, Director & Digital Transformation Officer, General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union
From 2000 to 2016, Raoul Ueberecken served as the European-affairs adviser to successive Luxembourgish Ministers of Justice, most of the time attached to the Luxembourg Permanent Representation to the EU as Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) counsellor. As head of the JHA team, he steered the 2005 and 2015 Luxembourg Presidencies of the Council of the EU in that policy area. He also represented Luxembourg on the Management Board of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) for several years.
In 2014 he briefly joined the European Commission as Deputy Head of Cabinet to the Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. In 2016 he was appointed Director for Home Affairs at the Council's General Secretariat, before becoming Director for the Internal Market in 2021. Since January 2022 he has been the Council's Digital Transformation Officer, and since February 2023 also Director for Council Decision-Making within the General Directorate for General and Institutional Policy (GIP). He holds a law degree from the Sorbonne and a degree in political science from the College of Europe.
Lorenzo Rinaldi, Head of Business and Stakeholder Relations Unit, European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-scale Information Systems (eu-LISA)
Julie Lejeune, Director European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)
Panel 3 – AI in international protection: how to start and where to stop
Moderator: Ali Al Jaberi
Raymond Kok, Head of the Data Expertise Centre, Immigration and Naturalisation Service, the Netherlands
Raymond Kok is a senior data and technology leader with more than two decades of experience driving AI, analytics, and digital transformation within complex public-sector and enterprise environments. As Chief Data Officer and Manager of Data Services at the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND), he leads a multidisciplinary organization of 50 specialists, overseeing data science, AI development, and knowledge-modeling, and strengthening national collaboration on AI and CDO responsibilities within the Ministry of Justice & Security. Before joining the IND, Raymond spent over 20 years in data-driven leadership roles at Belastingdienst, KPN, and KPN Research, building and managing large analytics teams and delivering enterprise-scale AI products, including customer value models, Next Best Action engines, and network optimization algorithms. Raymond holds an MSc in Econometrics from Tilburg University.
Matthew Dixon, Programme Director (PD) for the Asylum Transformation Programme, Deputy Director, UK Home Office.
Matthew Dixon is Programme Director for the UK Home Office's Asylum Transformation Programme (ATP), leading one of the largest programmes of reform and modernisation across the asylum system. With more than 25 years' experience in operational and programme leadership, he is responsible for driving the digitisation of asylum services through advanced technology, automation and artificial intelligence, helping to improve efficiency, support decision-making and enhance outcomes for both staff and service users.
Matt's role brings together innovation, operational delivery and strategic leadership to ensure AI is adopted responsibly and ethically. He oversees the development of AI-enabled products, and ATP’s teams work across government and with international partners to establish robust governance, safeguards and standards for responsible AI adoption.
Passionate about using technology to support people rather than replace them, Matt is focused on ensuring AI strengthens human judgement, improves consistency and helps public services respond more effectively to increasingly complex challenges.
Gemma Galdón-Clavell, Founder and CEO Eticas
Gemma Galdon Clavell is the Founder and CEO of Eticas, the world's longest-standing independent algorithmic auditing firm (est. 2012), specialized in evaluating how AI systems behave once deployed in real-world, high-stakes contexts. She was the first auditor of the EU's smart border system and has worked with the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights and other European institutions on the impact of AI in security, border management, and migration. She serves as an ethics evaluator for the European Commission and has advised the OECD, the United Nations, and the European Parliament on responsible AI. Her work focuses on making AI systems in sensitive domains measurable, accountable, and safe for the people they affect. She holds a PhD on surveillance, security and urban policy from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and is based in New York.
Berit Gravdahl, Senior Adviser at UDI, Norwegian Directorate of Immigration
Berit Gravdahl is a Senior Adviser in the department for governance and legal affairs at UDI (the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration), the central Norwegian agency responsible for implementing immigration and refugee policy, including asylum, family immigration, and residence and citizenship applications. She has extensive experience in statistics, analysis, research and development, and in recent years has led several key AI projects at UDI.
Berna Kalkan, Digital Innovation Coordinator EUAA
Berna Kalkan is the Digital Innovation Coordinator and AI Correspondent at the EU Agency for Asylum (EUAA). Her work involves overseeing the digital innovation portfolio which includes supporting EU+ countries in increasing their digitalisation through various activities as well as strengthening the in-house AI capacity at EUAA. She has worked at EUAA since 2020. Berna has previously worked as an asylum officer in Belgium, Greece and Pakistan. Berna holds a master’s degree in psychology and in AI.
The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) hosted its first State of Asylum Conference 2025 on 18 June 2025.
This flagship event brings together high-level policymakers, EU institutions, international organisations and experts to discuss the current landscape of international protection and migration in the EU, the challenges we face, and the evolving EU migration agenda, particularly with regards to the Pact on Migration and Asylum.
Through high-level keynote speeches and panel discussions, this conference is an opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue, strengthen partnerships, and share innovative ideas in the complex and evolving areas of asylum and migration.
This year’s event, which was built around the theme "EU Asylum at a Crossroads?", focused on past and future trends in migration and asylum in the EU and deepening partnerships to address mounting challenges, both in the EU and beyond.
The conference also featured a presentation of the newly released EUAA Asylum Report 2025. The EUAA’s flagship report provides a comprehensive overview of key developments in legislation, practices and policies in Europe, and this year features summaries by country to highlight changes at the national level.
Download the report of the State of Asylum Conference 2025.
For further information, please contact the EUAA State of Asylum Conference Team at
Asylum-Conference@euaa.europa.eu.
Agenda
EUAA Asylum State of Asylum Conference Agenda
Wednesday, 18 June 2025
08:45 – 09:15
Registration & Welcome Coffee
09:15 – 09:30
Welcome by the Conference Moderators
09:30 – 09:45
Opening Address
Nina Gregori
Executive Director, European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)
09:45 – 10:00
Keynote Speech
Myriam Spiteri Debono
President of Malta
10:00 - 10:15
Keynote Speech (Video Message)
Magnus Brunner
Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, European Commission
10:15 – 11:30
1st Panel Discussion:
Migration and Asylum at a Crossroads: Where do we go from here?
Moderator:
Ali Aslan
Moderator, TV Presenter and Journalist
Panel:
- Makis Voridis, Minister of Migration & Asylum (Greece)
- Mari Rantanen, Minister of the Interior (Finland)
- Andi Mahila, Deputy Minister of Interior (Albania)
- Michael Spindelegger, Director General, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD)
11:30 – 12:00
Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:00
Marketplace showcasing EUAA’s work (on site)
12:00 – 12:30
Reflections on the EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Ward Lutin
Head of Asylum Knowledge Centre, European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)
Jean-Louis De Brouwer
Director of the European Affairs Programme, Egmont Institute
12:30 – 13:45
2nd Panel Discussion:
EU Working Together.
Stepping up EU Migration and Asylum Management, in the face of mounting European and international challenges
Moderator:
Lilian Tsourdi
Professor and Jean Monnet Chair in European Migration Law and Governance, Law Faculty of Maastricht University
Panel:
- Nina Gregori, Executive Director, European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)
- Lukas Gehrke, Director of the Global Office in Brussels, International Organisation for Migration (IOM)
- Philippe Leclerc, Director of the Regional Bureau for Europe, UNHCR
- Kim Freidberg, Director of Home Affairs, Council of the European Union
- Beate Gminder, Acting Director-General, DG Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), European Commission
13:45 – 14:45
Lunch & Networking
Sacra Infermeria Hall, MCC, ground floor
13:45 – 14:45
Marketplace showcasing EUAA’s work (on site)
14:45 – 16:15
3rd Panel Discussion:
Drawing lessons from the past. The EUAA’s role in the new CEAS.
Moderator:
Hugo Brady
Senior Strategic Advisor, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD)
Panel:
- Evelina Gudzinskaitė, Chairperson of the Management Board, European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)
- Mikael Ribbenvik Cassar, Deputy Executive Director (EUAA) and Former Chair of the Management Boards of the EUAA and EASO
- David Costello, Former Chairperson of the Management Board of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO)
- Robert Visser, Former Executive Director of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO)
- Wolfgang Taucher, Former Chairperson of the Management Board of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO)
16:30 – 16:45
Closing Remarks
Nina Gregori
Executive Director, EUAA
17:00 – 18:00
Marketplace showcasing EUAA’s work (on site)
18:00 – 20:00
Evening Reception
Grand Harbour Terrace, MCC, rooftop
Speakers & Panelists
Opening Address
Nina Gregori, Executive Director, European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)
Nina Gregori is the Executive Director of the EUAA, based in Malta. She took over her duties on 16 June 2019.
Ms. Gregori previously worked at the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia for over 20 years, occupying the Senior Management post of Director General (or Deputy Director General) for over a decade, responsible for asylum, migration, integration and internal administrative affairs. She was actively involved in the drafting of Slovenian positions for dossiers on migration, asylum, the Schengen area and visas for the relevant working bodies of the European Union since 1999. During the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2008 she chaired the Strategic Committee on Immigration, Frontiers and Asylum (SCIFA), in which she was also a national delegate until becoming the Executive Director of EUAA.
Ms. Gregori has participated in more than 120 Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial meetings as leader (in the absence of the Minister) or as a member of the Slovenian delegation, and has been a member of the Slovenian delegation in meetings of the European Council. Ms Gregori also served as a national delegate in the Expert Working Group Migration at the OECD and as a member of the Advisory Board of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).
Long a member of the Slovenian Interdepartmental Commission on Human Rights, she was a permanent member of various delegations of Slovenia in procedures and instruments of the United Nations and the Council of Europe. Ms. Gregori has been actively involved in the development and work of EASO/EUAA since its beginning. She was a member of the Agency’s Management Board from 2015 until taking up her duties as the Executive Director.
She has a University degree in Political Science from the University of Ljubljana.
Myriam Spiteri Debono, President of Malta
Notary Myriam Spiteri Debono is the eleventh President of the Republic of Malta, approved unanimously by the House of Representatives by virtue of a Parliamentary Resolution passed on the 27th of March 2024.
Myriam Spiteri Debono was born and lived her childhood in the island of Gozo, where up to secondary level she was educated at state schools. She attended the University of Malta, from where she graduated with Honours in English Literature and Linguistics and as a Notary Public. She was one of the very first female Notaries on the islands. Myriam Spiteri Debono was Chairperson of the Cooperatives Board, and she served as a member of the Gender Equality Commission when this commission was first set up. During her membership of this commission, she was especially active on the sub-committee dealing with complaints regarding discrimination and/or harassment.
During her membership of this commission, she was especially active on the sub-committee dealing with complaints regarding discrimination and/or harassment. Myriam Spiteri Debono was also Chairperson of the Press Ethics Commission, for the first three years of its existence.
She was instrumental in drafting its first body of rules of procedure and bylaws. She started participating in the political sphere when, as a student, she was a founder member of the Socialist Students Union. As a member of the Malta Labour Party; for 16 consecutive years, she was elected by the General Conference of the party as a member of the party’s executive committee. She also served as Secretary General and President of the Labour Women’s League for many years.
As President of the Labour Women’s League and as Speaker, she participated in numerous conferences abroad and, various times, she was nominated by the participants to preside over the conference.
From 2009 to 2024, she was a member of the selection board entrusted with recommendations for the award of Republic Day Honours.
Myriam Spiteri Debono was a practicing notary. She is married to Anthony Spiteri Debono, the mother of three children, Elena, George and Maria Kristina, and the grandmother of four grandchildren, Alexandra, Paul, Pippa and Beppe.
Magnus Brunner (Video Message), Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, European Commission
Magnus Brunner is an Austrian politician of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) who has been serving as European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration since December 2024. Previously, he served as Austria's finance minister from 2021 until 2024 in the government of Chancellor Karl Nehammer.
Brunner was a member of the Federal Council for the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) from 1 May 2009 until 6 January 2020.
He served as state secretary (Staatssekretär) in the Ministry of Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation, and Technology in the government of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
Following the 2024 European elections, the Austrian government nominated Brunner as the country's European Commissioner serving under President Ursula von der Leyen.
Brunner studied jurisprudence at the University of Innsbruck, the University of Vienna (Dr. iur.) and King's College London (LLM).
1st Panel Discussion
Moderator: Ali Aslan, Moderator, TV Presenter and Journalist
Ali Aslan is an internationally renowned TV presenter, moderator and journalist with a global career spanning over 20 years, including at CNN in Washington DC, ABC News in New York and Deutsche Welle TV in Berlin.
A highly-acclaimed global moderator and Master of Ceremonies, Aslan brings his vast experience and distinctive expertise to some of the world’s most significant events, whether it’s high-level international conferences or exclusive summits.
Throughout his career, Aslan has interviewed and shared the stage with numerous world leaders, heads of state, CEOs and celebrities, including former US President Bill Clinton, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, King Felipe of Spain, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, Philanthropist Melinda Gates and Hollywood Star Sharon Stone.
Aslan holds master’s degrees in International Affairs and Journalism from Columbia University in New York as well as a bachelor’s degree from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington DC.
Makis Voridis, Minister of Migration & Asylum (Greece)
Makis Voridis was born in 1964 in Athens. He is an Athens College alumnus and holds a law degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA). He has a Master of Laws from the University of London (UCL), specializing in International Commercial Law and the Philosophy of Law. He is fluent in English and French.
He is married to paediatrician Danae Michelakou, with whom he has a son and a daughter.
In September 2007, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Attica electoral district for the first time and has been re-elected continuously ever since.
From 2010 to 2014, he served as the parliamentary representative of New Democracy. He has held various ministerial positions, including Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks in 2011, Minister of Health in 2014, and Minister of Agricultural Development and Food in 2019. In 2021, he was appointed Minister of the Interior, a position he held until April 2023. From June 2023 to March 2025, he served as Minister of State at the Presidency of the Government.
On March 15, 2025, he was appointed Minister of Migration and Asylum. He has also served as Chairman of the Committee on Counter-Terrorism of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
Mari Rantanen, Minister of the Interior (Finland)
Mari Rantanen was born on 29 March 1976 in Lappeenranta. She lives in Helsinki with her spouse and daughter.
Rantanen is trained as a police officer, paramedic, nurse and practical nurse.
Rantanen first entered Parliament in 2019. Since then, she has served in the Administration Committee, the Transport and Communications Committee, the Legal Affairs Committee and the Intelligence Oversight Committee. Rantanen chaired the Administration Committee 2022-2023. She has been a member of Helsinki City Council since 2017.
Mari Rantanen has been a Member of the Government since June 2023 working as Minister of the Interior of Finland.
Work, health, and safety are important to Rantanen, and she wants to work for a safer and better Finland.
Andi Mahila, Deputy Minister of Interior (Albania)
Mr Mahila was born in 1970 and lives in Tirana. He comes from a long experience in the Diplomatic Service and Secret Intelligence Service.
In 1998, Mr Mahila started his career as a diplomatic representative at the Albanian Embassy in Athens. He has served as a Consul for eight years, responsible for consular and legal affairs. He also represented the State Intelligence Service between the two countries. During his career, he stood out for his treatment and coverage of Albanian emigration affairs, national security, and interstate collaboration.
Following the successful completion of his mission in Athens, Mr Mahila assumed various leadership positions in the Albanian State Intelligence Service, including the Analysis Department. He then served as an Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture, demonstrating his adeptness in managing relations with the Parliament.
In addition, during his career, he has been the executive director of several companies in the private sector.
Since December 2020, Mr Mahila has been the Deputy Minister of the Interior.
His responsibility, among others, is also the areas of migration, asylum, and border management.
He completed a Bachelor’s and Master's degree in Law at the University of Tirana, Faculty of Law, and holds the title of Lawyer.
He is married and has a daughter.
Michael Spindelegger, Director General, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD)
Mr. Michael Spindelegger has extensive experience in international relations through his work in the Federal Government of the Republic of Austria. From 2008 to 2013 he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and from 2013 to 2014 as Minister of Finance. Additionally, he was Vice Chancellor and leader of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) from 2011 to 2014. In January 2016 he was appointed Director General of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).
Reflections on the EUAA Asylum report 2025
Ward Lutin, Head of Asylum Knowledge Centre, European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)
Since 2020 Ward Lutin is Head of the Asylum Knowledge Centre at the EU Asylum Agency (EUAA). The Centre is responsible for developing a wide knowledge base on asylum in the EU+, by collecting, processing and analysing information and trends; fostering cooperation between authorities in the field of asylum and reception; producing a variety of knowledge products; developing guidance and tools that promote convergence in the implementation of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS); and monitoring the practical implementation of the CEAS in Member States.
Previous roles at the EUAA (and its predecessor EASO) since 2012 include COI and Documentation Officer, Head of Information and Analysis Unit and Head of Department of Operations.
In 2009-2012, Ward worked as Programme Officer at Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees (IGC) in Geneva. In 2000-2009, he served as Protection Officer, COI Officer, Senior Protection Officer and International Relations Officer in the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons in Brussels.
Jean-Louis De Brouwer, Director of the European Affairs Programme, Egmont Institute
Jean-Louis De Brouwer is Director of the European Affairs Programme at the Egmont Institute.
He joined the Institute in October 2019, after retiring from the European Commission where, as a director, he was successively in charge of immigration, asylum, visas and border policies (DG Justice and Home Affairs), the implementation of the EU2020 agenda and employment policies (DG Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion) and humanitarian aid operations and policies (DG European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations).
He holds a Master’s Degree in Law, Sociology and Public Administration/International Relations from the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL). Before joining the European Commission, he held different positions in the Belgian civil service (Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs) and was Director General of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences.
He teaches Public Law, Political Science and EU Politics at the Saint Louis University of Brussels (USL-B) and the Catholic University of Mons (FUCAM). He is a lecturer in International Relations Theories and on “An Area of Freedom, Security and Justice” respectively at the UCL and the USL-B. He is also in charge of a course on Immigration and Humanitarian Policy at the College of Europe of the Parma University.
2nd Panel Discussion
Moderator: Lilian Tsourdi, Professor and Jean Monnet Chair in European Migration Law and Governance, Law Faculty of Maastricht University
Lilian is Professor and Jean Monnet Chair in European Migration Law and Governance at the Law Faculty of Maastricht University and the Maastricht Centre for European Law. Her research lies at the intersection of EU Law, Public International Law, and public policy/administration with a focus on human rights, asylum, migration, and governance theories.
Lilian is currently (2025-2029) PI of the SoftEn (Soft Enforcement of EU Migration Law) project supported by a European Research Council Starting Grant, as well as WP leader in the ongoing (2023-2026) collective Horizon Europe ENSURED project on global governance and the EU's role in defending multilateralism. Previously, Lilian received a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship by the European Commission and VENI and Hestia grants by the Dutch Research Council (NWO).
Lilian is also the joint Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Refugee Law (OUP) and an Editorial Board member of the Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law (Sage). She is Deputy Coordinator of the Academic Network for Legal Studies on Immigration and Asylum in Europe, the ‘Odysseus Network’. In addition, she co-chairs with UNHCR the European Academic Refugee Interdisciplinary Network (EARIN), established in the framework of the UN Global Compact on Refugees.
Nina Gregori, Executive Director, European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)
Lukas Gehrke, Director of the Global Office in Brussels, International Organisation for Migration (IOM)
Lukas Gehrke is the Director of the IOM Global Office in Brussels. Mr Gehrke leads IOM’s efforts to strengthen partnerships and enhance engagement at the EU level. He brings over 20 years of experience in migration and protection issues, most recently serving as Deputy Director General and Director of Policy, Research & Strategy at ICMPD.
Mr Gehrke has held several senior leadership positions where he led in policy engagement, capacity building, and resource mobilisation, while fostering strong relationships with key stakeholders. As a profound expert in the European and international migration debate, he has cultivated a wide network of decision-makers, including government representatives, international organizations, civil society, diaspora groups, and academia across Europe and beyond. For over two decades, Lukas has been dedicated to improving migration policy through innovation and collaboration, successfully leading numerous teams and fostering a culture of teamwork.
He holds a degree in Law from the University of Vienna and a Master’s in Public International Law from the London School of Economics (LSE).
Philippe Leclerc, Director of the Regional Bureau for Europe, UNHCR
Philippe Leclerc is the Europe Bureau Director of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since 2 October 2023.
He graduated in International Law in Paris in 1986 and served as Cultural Attaché for the Embassy of France in Tirana, Albania (1987-1988). He has been working for UNHCR since 1990 in various positions throughout the world. He has been in charge of protection of refugees in Cameroon (1990-1992), in Bosnia-Herzegovina and in Serbia (1993), in Slovenia (1994-1995), in Brussels (1996), in Geneva UNHCR Headquarters as the Head of the Liaison Office for Switzerland and Liechtenstein(1996-2000), then in charge of the organization of the first Ministerial Meeting of State Parties to the UN Convention on the Status of Refugees held in the context of the Global Consultations on the protection of refugees on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention (2001).
He was Assistant Chief of Mission in Kabul, Afghanistan (2002-2003), Head of the Statelessness Unit within the Division of International Protection at UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva (2004-2008), and Deputy-Representative in Damascus, Syria (2008-2010). He also participated to many emergency missions to the field, the last of which was in the Central African Republic from December 2013 to February 2014. He was the Representative in France (2010-2015) and in Greece (2015-2020). He lastly served as the Representative in Türkiye between January 2021 – September 2023, before his assignment as UNHCR Europe Bureau Director.
Kim Freidberg, Director of Home Affairs, Council of the European Union
Mr. Kim Freidberg studied Political Science/Economics at Stanford University with a focus on the former Soviet Union, and worked several years in the Commission on projects in Russia before carrying out privatisation projects in the private sector, based in Berlin.
He joined the Council in 1999 and spent more than ten years working in the area of Common Foreign and Security Policy, including as Head of Cabinet of the EUSR in North Macedonia (2003-2004) and of the UN Special Representative in Kosovo (2004-2007), in the last job working on transition issues from the UN to the EU. Mr. Freidberg then managed the Europe Sector in the CPCC for planning and conduct of EU civilian missions (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Georgia), then took over the job of Head of Unit for the ATHENA mechanism (financing of EU military operations).
He then worked for several years as Head of the Staffing/Mobility Unit before becoming one of two directors for External Relations in the Council.
From September 2018 to December 2021, his remit covered the Balkans, Turkey, the East, N. Africa, plus migration and other crisis issues through the Council crisis mechanism.
Since 1st of January 2022, Mr Freidberg is Director for Home Affairs, at the Directorate-General Justice and Home Affairs of the Council.
Beate Gminder, Acting Director-General, DG Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), European Commission
Ms Beate Gminder heads the DG Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME) of the European Commission as acting Director-General. She oversees the implementation of the European Pact for Migration and Asylum, the safeguarding of an open and fully functioning Schengen area of free movement and the further strengthening of internal security in the EU.
Ms Gminder also continues in her function as Deputy Director-General of DG HOME and as Head of the Task Force Migration Management. As such, she has been leading the efforts of the European Commission and its agencies to support Member States operationally in migration challenges, particularly in Greece and Cyprus but also in view of the Ukrainians fleeing the war.
Ms Gminder is a career official of the European Commission, with various postings in communication jobs including as spokesperson for food safety and consumer protection and adviser to Commissioners. Directly before taking on the post in DG HOME, first as Director in 2018 and then Deputy Director-General in 2020, she worked as Secretary General of the European Ombudsman.
3rd Panel Discussion
Moderator: Hugo Brady, Senior Strategic Advisor, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD)
Hugo Brady is a senior strategic advisor at the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). Previously, he served in the cabinet of Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, as speechwriter and home affairs adviser. He was cabinet lead on some aspects of Brexit (NI), as well as relations with Ireland.
Formerly, he was a senior associate analyst at the European Union Institute for Security Studies and, from May 2013-May 2015, a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics. He was also senior research fellow with the Centre for European Reform, specialising in EU institutions, justice and home affairs, and Britain's European debate. From 2010-2014, Mr Brady served as the CER's first representative in Brussels. Prior to becoming a senior fellow, he also worked at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Institute for International and European Affairs in Ireland.
Evelina Gudzinskaitė, Chairperson of the Management Board, European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)
Ms Evelina Gudzinskaitė has been leading the Migration Department under the Lithuanian Ministry of Interior since 2016. In November 2023, the EUAA Management Board elected Ms Gudzinskaitė as its new Chair whilst she has been Deputy Chairperson of the Management Board since March 2023. Between 2014 and 2015, Ms Gudzinskaitė was occupying the position of Manager of the Division of Law and International Cooperation within the Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania. From 2012 since 2014 Ms Gudzinskaitė had the position of Justice and Home Affairs Counsellor with the Permanent Representation of Republic of Lithuania to the EU and her main tasks where representing Lithuania’s interests, negotiating on legal acts and political documents. Ms Gudzinskaitė also chaired several working groups and represented the Council during Lithuania’s Presidency to the EU Council back in 2013. Between 2008 and 2012, Ms Gudzinskaitė held the position of the Lithuanian National Contact Point as a legal expert within the European Migration Network.
In 2015, Ms Gudzinskaitė graduated from her Masters at the University of Vilnius, Faculty of Law and is fluent in Lithuanian (native), English, French, Russian (fluent), Spanish and German. She received the Honorary badge of the Lithuanian Business Confederation for implementing modern solutions in migration management (2023).
Mikael Ribbenvik Cassar, Deputy Executive Director (EUAA) and Former Chair of the Management Boards of the EUAA and EASO
Mikael Ribbenvik Cassar holds a Master of Laws (LLM) from University of Lund, Sweden, and has 25 years of experience in the field of human rights and migration.
Mr Ribbenvik Cassar served as Director for Legal Affairs of the Swedish Migration Agency (SMA) between 2008 and 2013 responsible for internal jurisprudence. From 2013 to 2016 he was Director of Operations and Deputy Director General responsible for managing and improving standards of performance within the operation of the SMA. He served as acting Director General of the SMA September 2016-May 2017 and Director General from 2017 - 2023.
Mikael Ribbenvik Cassar was also a member of the Management Board of EUAA, representing Sweden since 2013 and served as deputy Chairperson of the Board since 2019. He became the Chair of the Management Board in 2021 until 2023.
David Costello, Former Chairperson of the Management Board of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO)
Dr David Costello is a former Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the EASO Management Board. He has served as Ireland’s Refugee Applications Commissioner and Chief International Protection Officer with responsibility for the processing of international protection applications. He also held senior positions in the Department of Justice including as Head of Asylum and Migration policy development (domestic, EU and legislative aspects). He holds degrees at graduate and post- graduate level from the University of Dublin (Trinity College) and the National University of Ireland.
Robert Visser, Former Executive Director of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO)
Dr Robert Visser served as Secretary General of the Council of State of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 2016 to 2021, following his tenure as the first Executive Director of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) from 2011 to 2015. Before that, he held the position of Director-General for Legislation, International Affairs, and Migration at the Ministry of Justice of the Netherlands from 2003 to 2010.
Earlier in his career, Dr Visser served as Deputy Secretary-General and Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister at the Ministry of General Affairs and Prime Minister’s Office from 1997 to 2003. Prior to that, he was a Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister between 1986 and 1997. His earlier roles included serving as Assistant Secretary to the Council of Ministers (1983–1986) and working as a Diplomat at the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Madrid (1982–1983).
Dr Visser earned a PhD in Law from the University of Leiden in 2008. He previously obtained Master’s degrees in History and Law from the University of Groningen in 1981 and 1980, respectively, and attended the Diplomatic School of the Netherlands in 1981.
He has contributed significantly to scholarly discussions, notably authoring a Handbook on Constitutional Law and publishing extensively on European affairs, constitutional law, and government organization.
Wolfgang Taucher, Former Chairperson of the Management Board of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO)
Mr. Wolfgang Taucher is currently Deputy Director General of Directorate General I “Central Administration“ and Head of Directorate “HR and Organisation“ at the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior, a position he has held since 2022. From 2019 to 2022, he served as Deputy Director General of “Migration and International Affairs" and Head of Directorate “Asylum and Return" at the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior. Between 2019 and 2020, he was Deputy Chief of Cabinet and Specialist Adviser for “Migration“ in the Cabinet of the Federal Minister of the Interior. Previously, from 2014 to 2018, Mr. Taucher was Director of the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum. From 1996 to 2014, he held the position of Director of the Federal Asylum Office. Earlier in his career, he worked as a Legal Adviser at the Caritas Central Office in Vienna from 1988 to 1996. In 1994, he served as an Associated Legal Officer at UNHCR Vienna. In addition to his professional roles, Mr. Taucher served as Chairman of the Management Board of the EU Asylum Agency (EASO) from 2013 to 2018.