On Wednesday 11 June, the European Commission published a progress report on the state of play on the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum adopted in June 2024.
“Important progress has been made both at EU level and by Member States, but further efforts are needed to address remaining challenges and ensure the EU’s new robust migration management system is fully operational in June 2026”, it summarised in a statement.
The Communication reviews progress on the ‘ten building blocks’ identified in June 2024 by the Commission to effectively implement the Pact: - Eurodac; - external borders; - reception conditions; - fair asylum procedures; - return procedures; - proper functioning of the Pact; - making solidarity work; - preparedness and contingency planning to guarantee that asylum and reception systems can function properly under all circumstances; - new safeguards and monitoring of fundamental rights; - integration and legal pathways.
To date, all Member States have submitted their national implementation plans, although the deadline is 12 June 2025. Only Hungary has told the Commission that it does not intend to do so. Poland has only communicated how it intends to implement the Pact, without a dedicated plan.
As far as external borders are concerned, preparations for the introduction of new border screening procedures are underway (‘screening’ regulation). Challenges remain with regard to the identification of screening locations and border procedures, as well as public procurement and adequate resources, summarises the Commission.
Last summer, the Commission published the capacity of beds required for screening and asylum procedures at the border (see EUROPE 13466/8).
In its Communication, the Commission explains that at national level, some Member States already have the reception structures and human resources required to meet their capacities, or are in the process of achieving them within the deadlines (Belgium, Finland, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, France, Malta, the Netherlands and Romania). The countries where there are concerns about meeting targets on time, given the length of procurement procedures, are Italy and Germany. The biggest concerns relate to Estonia and Greece.
The implementation of the mandatory procedure at the border will also need to be accompanied by an independent mechanism for monitoring fundamental rights and be based on effective cooperation with the judiciary in order to respect the deadlines and take account of the procedural changes introduced by the Pact.
Most Member States are planning to set up an independent fundamental rights monitoring mechanism in their national plans, and some are already in contact with existing national bodies and potential providers.
Some 23 Member States provide relevant information in their National Guidance Plans (NGP), although details are lacking for some of them.
“Issues have already been flagged, including for Bulgaria, Italy and Malta. Austria and Greece make no reference to it”. Most Member States already offer free legal advice during the administrative phase or have included it in their plans, such as Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany and Portugal, although adaptations are necessary.
Eighteen Member States include this service in their National Guidance Plans (NGPs). This service is not yet in place in Greece, Hungary and Poland.
A number of Member States have taken steps to prepare for the implementation of the new multidisciplinary age assessment process and have put in place the necessary reforms to their systems for providing guardians or legal representatives for unaccompanied minors, in line with the new requirements.
As far as asylum procedures are concerned, further efforts are needed to reduce delays and backlogs, in particular by increasing capacity and providing appropriate training, says the Commission.
Difficulties persist in a number of Member States regarding the adequate capacity of national reception systems. “It is essential that Member States address the real reception needs of today, as required by the current acquis, and maintain sufficient capacity in their reception system that ensures an adequate standard of living”. The Commission points out that Belgium, France, Greece and the Netherlands have already been criticised.
The next implementation report will be published in October 2025 with the first decisions on solidarity contributions.
Link to the report: https://aeur.eu/f/h9b (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)