As expected, on Wednesday 12 June the European Commission published a communication to the Member States on the implementation of the regulations and directives of the Pact on Migration and Asylum and the ‘Asylum Package’, one day after these texts officially came into force.
This communication, which is organised around 10 major implementation blocks, is intended to help the EU27 prepare their national plans, which they will submit to the European Commission by the end of December.
“We have 2 years to achieve tangible results on the ground”, by 11 June 2026, explained the Commission Vice-President for promoting the European way of life, Margaritis Schinas, at a press conference.
The 10 components of the implementation plan are as follows:
- a common information system on migration and asylum (Eurodac), the system which will store and process data on asylum seekers and which is an essential prerequisite for the implementation of all the other elements of the Pact;
- a new migration management system at the EU’s external borders to manage irregular arrivals of third-country nationals and to put in place rapid, efficient and coordinated asylum and return procedures and strong safeguards (screening regulation, Asylum Procedures Regulation and regulation on a return border procedure);
- guaranteeing an adequate standard of living for asylum seekers according to their needs, with the new directive on reception conditions for asylum seekers, which provides for earlier access to the labour market (6 months instead of 9 months);
- fair, efficient and convergent asylum procedures (Asylum Procedures Regulation and regulation on the conditions to be met by asylum seekers);
- efficient and fair return procedures, even though no new legislation has been approved in this area. This will involve relying on the Return Coordinator and optimising the use of Frontex support;
- a fair and efficient system with the new Asylum and Migration Management Regulation (formerly the Dublin Regulation);
- making solidarity work with the permanent, legally binding but flexible solidarity mechanism provided for in the former Dublin Regulation;
- preparation and planning of emergency measures and crisis responses with the rules on crisis situations;
- new safeguards for asylum seekers and vulnerable persons, set out in various regulations and directives;
- and finally, resettlement, inclusion and integration. This will mean supporting Member States’ efforts to integrate and include migrants, explains the Commission in a press release.
Asked about the fact that two countries - Hungary and Poland - have rejected the Pact in its entirety, and that others have rejected certain legislation, the Vice-President stressed the “regulatory reality” of this vast reform and the Commission’s monitoring role in ensuring that European law is applied.
The European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, pointed out that not all Member States are starting from scratch, with 14 already applying asylum procedures at the border and 19 already having legislation combining an asylum decision being denied with an immediate return decision.
In its communication, the Commission sets out in detail the action plan for the period up to mid-2026.
In August 2024, it will adopt an implementing act on adequate capacity in the EU to carry out border procedures (a minimum of 30,000 places per year in the EU for up to 120,000 people per year). In April 2025, the Commission will communicate the national contingency plans to the European Union Asylum Agency.
In October 2025, the Commission will publish the first decisions on the estimated needs for the following year in the event of expected migratory pressure or unexpected crisis management. And, at the end of 2025, the first binding decision establishing the EU’s ‘solidarity pool’ will also be published, which Member States in difficulty will be able to draw on.
Between now and 2026, the Commission expects the Member States to adapt their legislation and strengthen their staff base and infrastructure to make the Pact operational.
The national plans submitted at the end of the year will also have to describe in detail the structures in place and the organisation of asylum and migration management at local, regional and national levels. The Commission will be able to reject these plans and send them back to the Member States for amendment.
Meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday 13 June, the EU’s interior ministers will be invited to discuss this action plan.
Link to the plan: https://aeur.eu/f/cmb (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)