Should the EU finance the construction of physical barriers at its external borders?

This debate centers on whether the EU's common budget should directly finance the construction of fences and walls at the bloc's external borders, a demand increasingly made by frontline member states like Poland, Greece, and the Baltic nations. While the EU currently funds border management technology and personnel through Frontex, the European Commission has historically refused to pay for "bricks and mortar," arguing that walls are not the right solution to manage migration. Proponents argue that physical barriers are the most effective deterrent against illegal crossings and instrumentalization of migrants by hostile neighbors. Opponents contend that building walls contradicts European values, violates asylum rights, and that funds should instead address the root causes of migration.