Economy ministers from the European Union’s 27 countries gave the final greenlight on Tuesday to an overhaul of the bloc’s migration and asylum policies.
The plan seeks tougher borders and shared responsibility of asylum seekers among the EU’s members.
The reform, comprised of 10 pieces of legislation, was backed by a majority of the bloc’s countries despite opposition from Hungary and Poland. The new rules come into effect from 2026.
The final approval comes shortly before the European Parliament election, with migration seen a major topic in many campaigns.
What is the EU migration reform?
The so-called New Pact on Migration and Asylum is a rulebook that has been in the works for over eight years.
Under the new rules, asylum-seekers will be identified within days of arrival in the EU, and their details will be stored in a database.
Countries where migrants first arrive will be able to relocate a certain number of asylum-seekers to other EU member states.
If one country thinks it is bearing too much of the burden, it will be able to request more solidarity. In crisis cases, all 27 member states will decide together.
The new pact also attempts to revise the system by providing more uniform services and conditions across the EU, so that certain member states are not considered more attractive than others.
It will also allow for the speedier deportation of people to countries of origin or transit, if these have been declared safe.
More to follow…
fb/rm (AFP, dpa)
