Can Europe control migration without losing its soul?

Migration has become one of Europe’s most divisive political questions. Governments are under growing pressure to control their borders and reduce irregular migration, while Europe continues to struggle with asylum backlogs, returns and how to protect those genuinely in need of protection.

Gerald Knaus has spent decades working on these questions and was one of the key architects behind the 2016 EU-Turkey agreement. His argument is that Europe does not have to choose between controlled borders and a humane migration policy. But achieving both requires moving beyond political slogans and designing policies that actually work.

What would a functioning European migration system look like? Can Europe make returns credible while respecting fundamental rights? Should Europe create more legal pathways for migration? And why has it proved so difficult for European governments to find a solution that is both politically viable and humane?

Join us for a lunchtime conversation with Gerald Knaus on migration, borders, asylum and the difficult choices facing Europe.