BRUSSELS, Belgium – The European Union’s new Migration and Asylum Pact enters into force tomorrow, Friday, in all member states. This step is an important milestone in the Union’s efforts to reorganize immigration
and asylum policies and unify the procedures in place among its countries.
Comprehensive reform of the immigration system
The new pact is the result of a comprehensive reform of the EU’s migration and asylum framework adopted in May 2024.
It establishes a set of uniform rules relating to the management of external borders,
asylum procedures, and the conditions for receiving international protection applicants.
It also includes new mechanisms for distributing responsibilities among member states.
The aim is to achieve a more balanced approach to managing migrant and refugee flows.
This is particularly important for countries facing increasing pressure on their borders.
Stricter border controls
According to the European Commission, the Charter requires the registration
of all irregular migrants upon their arrival on the territory of the Union.
These immigrants are also subjected to strict security checks before completing their legal procedures.
The Charter also provides for the application of expedited border procedures for some categories of asylum seekers,
especially applications whose chances of being accepted are limited.
In addition, uniform deadlines are set for processing asylum applications and dealing with repeated applications.
The Charter also includes measures aimed at limiting the movement of asylum seekers
between member states after they enter the European Union.
Strengthening solidarity among member states
The new system includes standardized criteria for the reception of asylum seekers,
including facilitating access to the labor market. It also provides for the establishment of
a permanent solidarity mechanism to support countries facing large numbers of arrivals.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen affirmed
that the pact provides an “effective, fair, and firm” framework for managing migration.
This framework works by strengthening the security of external borders and improving the efficiency of asylum and return procedures.
The implementation of the pact is part of a broader European strategy
that includes strengthening cooperation with countries of origin and transit.
This strategy also includes activating new border control systems,
as part of the EU’s efforts to address the challenges of irregular migration in a more organized and effective manner.
