Welcome and Opening Remarks by Christina Meinecke, Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to the European Union, on 30 October 2026 in Brussels.

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Good morning, it is a pleasure to welcome you all to this expert meeting on the implementation of the EU Screening Regulation.

The EU Screening Regulation, which entered into application in June as part of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, constitutes an opportunity to improve migration governance and enhance human rights protection for people on the move at EU borders and in the EU.

From a human rights perspective, screening should be understood as an important tool to ensure timely protection in particular for persons in vulnerable situations, and the channeling to appropriate procedures from the very first point of contact with the authorities.

This opportunity will only be realised if the dignity and rights of every individual are placed at the heart of this process. This includes ensuring that people are treated without discrimination, that adequate resources and procedures are in place to ensure their protection needs are identified and adequately addressed, and that the process is closely monitored from a human rights perspective.

OHCHR has long engaged on ensuring that human rights inform migration and border governance.

Our principles and guidelines on human rights at international borders, on the human rights protection of migrants in vulnerable situations, and our guidance on monitoring migrants’ human rights in the context of migration provide practical recommendations to generally inform the implementation of the Screening Regulation.

Building on this expertise, OHCHR also regularly engaged with the European Commission and EU agencies, including the EU Agency for Asylum, Frontex and the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights – all of whom I am glad to see in the room today - to help develop targeted guidance for Member States on the implementation of the Screening Regulation.

Today's meeting is an opportunity to take stock of how Member States are putting this guidance into practice, to better understand the operational challenges they are encountering, and to explore how these can best be addressed, drawing on the experience and expertise of national authorities from different Member States, national human rights institutions, UN partners, civil society and other stakeholders.

Throughout discussions, I hope we will pay particular attention to cooperation. No single actor can ensure effective human rights protection alone. National authorities, EU and UN agencies, independent monitoring bodies, national human rights institutions and civil society each bring different expertise and responsibilities. Structured cooperation, better coordination and safe and efficient information-sharing can help ensure that people do not fall through the gaps between procedures, institutions or services.

This brings me to our collaboration with ENNHRI, which I am particularly pleased to acknowledge. ENNHRI brings together 51 national human rights institutions across Europe, many of which have substantial experience in monitoring human rights in the context of migration, including at borders and in reception and detention facilities. Some of its members have also been appointed to independent monitoring mechanisms and will share their practical insights with us today. This exchange is an important opportunity to draw on their expertise and strengthen cooperation in support of effective human rights monitoring and protection.

As implementation progresses, peer exchange is especially valuable. We have an opportunity to share early experiences, identify challenges before they become entrenched, and consider which practical measures and good practices could be replicated or strengthened across Member States.

I therefore encourage everyone to engage openly and constructively today, including by sharing the difficulties encountered in practice, as well as the solutions that are proving effective – be it specific operational steps, procedural approaches, dedicated structures, targeted personnel, specific training, adequate resources or cooperation mechanisms.

Our objective is to identify concrete ways to support a screening process that is effective, dignified and fully respectful of human rights.

Following the meeting, we intend to capture the key takeaways, practical insights and recommendations emerging from our discussions in a short outcome document, which we will share with participants, partners and other relevant stakeholders.

This will help make the lessons and good practices identified today available to a wider audience and inform ongoing efforts to strengthen implementation.

Let me conclude by thanking ENNHRI once again for its partnership, and all of you for your commitment and contributions to this important exchange.

I wish you a productive and fruitful discussion. Thank you.