The EU’s Pact on Migration and Asylum will start applying across all member states on 12 June 2026.
The package of rules, adopted in May 2024, changes how the EU manages asylum claims and migration at its external borders, the European Commission noted in a statement released on Thursday.
Migration “must be met with a European solution” that is “effective, fair and firm”, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
The Commission stated the system includes mandatory registration and security checks for people who cross the EU’s external borders irregularly, as well as faster border procedures in designated areas for applicants considered unlikely to qualify for protection, those seen as a security risk, or those judged to have misled authorities.
It added that some people could be processed through procedures that allow for swift returns without being authorised to enter EU territory.
Solidarity rules and common reception standards
A permanent “mandatory solidarity” mechanism will allow member states to contribute in different ways when some countries face heavier pressure, and the pact also sets out clearer rules on which country is responsible for handling an asylum application.
The Commission said the pact introduces EU-wide standards for reception conditions and sets a common rule allowing asylum seekers to access the labour market after six months.
It also said the framework includes safeguards on fundamental rights, including an independent monitoring mechanism during screening and border asylum procedures.
New figures show irregular border crossings are down 55% compared with two years ago.
To mark the start date, Internal Affairs and Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner attended an informal ministerial conference in Nicosia hosted by the Cypriot presidency of the Council.
