Historic agreement reached today by the European Parliament and Council on the Pact on Migration and Asylum

After three years of negotiations, the European Parliament and Council have reached a political agreement on the Pact on Migration and Asylum. Today’s agreement is a major breakthrough towards a common system for managing migration in the EU.

The agreement covers five key proposals of the Pact:

• Screening Regulation: Creating uniform rules concerning the identification of non-EU nationals upon their arrival, thus increasing security in the Schengen area;
• Eurodac Regulation: Developing a common database, gathering more accurate and complete data to detect unauthorised movements;
• Asylum Procedures Regulation: Making asylum, return and border procedures quicker and more effective;
• Asylum Migration Management Regulation: Establishing a new solidarity mechanism amongst Member States, to balance the current system where a few countries are responsible for most asylum applications, and clear rules on responsibility for asylum applications;
• Crisis and Force majeure Regulation: Ensuring that the EU is prepared in the future to face situations of crisis, including the instrumentalisation of migrants.

The Pact aims to guarantee the protection of the EU borders. It fills an important gap by establishing a common and comprehensive policy for the orderly management of migration in the EU. It also introduces an external dimension to migration management, so that the EU can pursue its work together with international partners and third countries.

The agreement also protects the right to apply for asylum. Aside the enhancement of border management, it improves asylum procedures and reception, thus ensuring better protection of the individuals applying for international protection in the EU. Moreover, it is a relief for local communities – on the Greek islands, in Cyprus, Lampedusa, and the Canary Islands, among others – while also addressing the specific needs of all Member States.

Next steps and implementation

Once these proposals are formally adopted by the European Parliament and Council, the pillars of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum will be in place. Then, specific legislative acts will be adopted, and the Commission will assist Member States in implementing the new rules in their national legislation.

More information

What is the New Pact on Migration and Asylum of the EU?

New Pact on Migration and Asylum