During its General Assembly on 9 April 2025, the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe unanimously endorsed the report of the fact-finding mission to the eastern border region of Poland carried out by a delegation of its "Committee on Migration Issues" from 10 to 14 February 2025.

The report highlights the difficulties faced by both migrants and the NGOs that host them in respect of human rights and the various conventions that govern them. The Conference of INGOs firmly believes that while States have legitimate responsibilities in terms of internal security and border management, in particular in the context of the external geopolitical instrumentalisation of migration, these concerns cannot and must never be used as a pretext to derogate from the fundamental principles of human rights, let alone justify collective measures that violate the rights of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

The Conference of INGOs therefore welcomes the adoption by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, on 8 April, of Resolution 2595 (2025) – Putting an end to collective expulsions of foreign nationals – presented by Mr Pierre-Alain Fridez, rapporteur of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons. In this regard, the Conference draws attention to paragraphs 9 and 11 of the endorsed text, which it considers to be fully relevant and in line with the conclusions of the above-mentioned mission report.

In order to preserve the ethical and fundamental achievements of European society, and to resist emerging trends of shrinking civil space, the Conference of INGOs urges Council of Europe member states to ensure that their legislation respects the rights of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers and does not hinder or criminalise the initiatives of NGOs that make a concrete contribution to respecting the dignity of each individual and everyone.