International Border Management Conference
18 November 2025 - 19 November 2025
Netherlands
The 8th International Border Management Conference, hosted under the auspices of the Ministry of Asylum and Migration of the Netherlands, will bring together a wide range of countries and stakeholders from various regions, under the general topic of Navigating Complexity: Border Management in a Changing World. This edition places particular emphasis on themes of key importance to the Netherlands, including Schengen, return, human rights, and security within the context of migration.
📅 18 - 19 November 2025
📍 The Hague, The Netherlands
🤝 Partners: Co-hosted by the Ministry of Asylum and Migration of the Netherlands, organised by ICMPD
The Netherlands is uniquely positioned to host the 8th International Border Management Conference, leveraging its strategic geographic location, extensive international partnerships, and deep expertise in integrated and innovative border management. As a key Schengen country and a gateway to Europe, with major transport hubs such as Schiphol Airport and the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands plays a central role in European and global complex cross-border flows.
This edition of the conference will address pressing border security challenges, including technological innovation, migration governance, and transnational crime, while advancing effective, human-rights-based solutions. With a commitment to international cooperation and whole-of-route management, the Netherlands aims to lead dialogue and policy alignment around future developments, including the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, and the operational rollout of the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).
Background
The International Border Management Conference (IBMC), ICMPD's annual thematic flagship event since 2018, brings together practitioners, policymakers, donors, and experts from various sectors to discuss the latest trends, innovations, good practices, and policies in border management across regions. With three decades of expertise and a broad network of partners, ICMPD uses its Integrated Border Management (IBM) approach to address emerging challenges in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. This approach balances key themes including migration, mobility, trade, security, and the fight against cross-border crime by addressing emerging challenges through the lens of cooperation, border security, human rights, public health, and economic development.