On 12 June, the Pact on Migration and Asylum entered into application, overhauling the EU's migration and asylum system. This comprehensive package of 10 legislative acts sets out common procedures for screening and registering irregular arrivals at EU borders, with swifter asylum and return procedures, clear rules on the responsibility for asylum applications and a solidarity mechanism to support EU countries facing migratory pressure.
Now that the two-year transition period has ended, designed to help EU Member States and agencies develop the operational, infrastructural, and legal frameworks needed to implement the 10 legislative acts, what is changing?
More secure external borders
All irregular arrivals are subject to mandatory registration, identity checks, security, health and vulnerability assessments, strengthening the Schengen area by preventing those who pose security or public health risks from entering the bloc undetected.
The new screening procedures close a gap in the existing Schengen border regime by requiring all EU Member States to apply uniform rules for monitoring and registering irregular migrants and asylum seekers entering the EU. Screening must be completed in a limited timeframe:
7 days for external border checks;
3 days for those apprehended within the territory.
Following screening, individuals requesting asylum will be directed to the appropriate procedure to process their application.
Mandatory border procedures now apply to those unlikely to qualify for international protection, those posing security risks, or those who mislead the authorities. This means that they will remain in the border area while their application is processed.
Fast and efficient procedures
The Pact replaces the previously fragmented system with harmonised, firm and fair rules across the EU, and shorter time limits for asylum procedures. Stricter rules for abusive or subsequent applications, combined with improved tracking ability via the Eurodac database, reduce incentives for unauthorised movements within the EU.
To guarantee people’s rights, the Reception Conditions Directive establishes EU-wide standards, strengthening safeguards, establishing minimum living conditions and improving integration support for asylum seekers. Key improvements now in place include:
Free legal counselling at all stages, including appeals;
Guidance and assistance with applications, rights and obligations;
Tailored support for vulnerable groups;
EU-wide reception standards and contingency plans to ensure adequate capacity at all times.
Effective system of solidarity and responsibility
The Pact establishes an effective European system of solidarity and responsibility to manage asylum and migration in a fair, firm and efficient way. The EU system now includes a mandatory, flexible and needs-based ‘solidarity mechanism’ to ensure Member States facing migratory pressure are not left alone, superseding the pre-existing voluntary system.
The EU asylum and migration system now also includes:
Clear obligations for applicants to apply in the Member State of first entry;
Clearer criteria to determine the Member State responsible for assessing an asylum application;
Quicker and more efficient procedures to address unauthorised secondary movements;
Clearly established responsibilities throughout the asylum process, including in cases of secondary movement and transfers back to the EU country responsible for the application.
Crisis protocols and action against instrumentalisation
A dedicated legal framework is now in place to address emergencies, ensuring the EU and its Member States can respond swiftly and effectively to crises — whether caused by sudden migratory surges, instrumentalisation of migrants by third countries, or ‘force majeure’ events. Unlike the previous system, which lacked structured provisions for such scenarios, the Crisis Regulation provides clear procedures, operational support, and funding to mitigate unexpected pressures on national asylum systems. Key changes now in force include:
Rapid-response protocols:
measures to manage crises, including accelerated asylum and return procedures where necessary;
Targeted operational assistance: enhanced EU support (e.g., Frontex deployments, technical aid) for Member States facing disproportionate pressure;
Emergency funding;
Anti-instrumentalisation tools: stricter safeguards to counter hybrid threats, such as when migrants are weaponised for political leverage;
Solidarity triggers: automatic activation of the solidarity mechanism to redistribute applicants or provide alternative support (e.g., financial contributions, relocations) when a Member State is overwhelmed.
The new rules reforming the EU asylum and migration management system are reinforced by other developments, such as migration diplomacy with partner countries and technologically advanced border protection, as set out in the European Strategy on Asylum and Migration Management, and new rules to make returns swifter and more effective.
