State Councilor Hubert Büchel, Minister of the Interior, Economy, and Sports, attended the informal Schengen Council of Ministers (Interior) in Dublin on Thursday, July 16, 2026. The discussions centered on cooperation among Schengen states in the areas of security and migration, with a focus on combating organized crime and the more strategic use of visa policy to strengthen internal security within the Schengen Area.

Minister Büchel congratulated Ireland on assuming the EU Council Presidency and welcomed its guiding principle, “Ní neart go cur le chéile” (“Strength Through Unity”). He noted that close international cooperation and strong partnerships are indispensable, especially for a small country like Liechtenstein.

A key focus of the discussions was the joint fight against organized crime. State Councilor Büchel expressly endorsed the so-called “Team Europe” approach, which entails placing greater emphasis on a coordinated approach within Europe going forward. Today more than ever, criminal networks operate across national and continental borders. To effectively counter them, a rapid and efficient exchange of information, as well as the removal of existing operational barriers, are crucial.

In this context, Liechtenstein welcomed the European Commission’s proposal to further develop the Europol Regulation. The Schengen-associated states are an important part of the European security architecture and should be more closely integrated into cooperation in the future.

In closing, Minister Hubert Büchel emphasized the importance of joint European solutions: “Security is a shared responsibility. Organized crime can only be effectively combated as ‘Team Europe.’ For Liechtenstein, close and trusting cooperation with our European partners is of central importance—especially in the interest of a secure Schengen Area.”