Ilayda Cakirtekin
12 June 2026•Update: 12 June 2026
The EU’s Pact on Migration and Asylum entered into force on Friday after having been adopted in May 2024.
The pact overhauls the bloc's migration and asylum framework and shapes its new approach on migration, according to a statement from the European Commission.
"For the first time, the EU has a comprehensive migration and asylum framework in place, with strong external border protection, fair and firm asylum rules, and a balance between solidarity and responsibility," the statement said.
As of this Friday, the member states will be able to fully apply the rules in practice.
The pact, according to the statement, aims to strengthen external borders through mandatory registration and thorough security checks for irregular migrants crossing EU borders.
It also seeks to introduce fast-track border procedures in border areas for people deemed unlikely to need protection, considered a security risk, or found to have misled authorities, alongside swift returns without authorization to enter EU territory.
The pact introduces shorter deadlines for asylum procedures, along with stricter rules on abusive and subsequent applications.
It also sets in place what the statement called a “fair balance between solidarity and responsibility, with a permanent mandatory solidarity mechanism and a possibility for Member States to contribute to solidarity in a flexible way.”
It said the pact also strengthens safeguards to protect fundamental rights, including independent monitoring during screening and border asylum procedures.
"Member States will continue to adapt and finetune the new procedures in the coming months, with continuous support from the Commission and EU Agencies," the statement added.
