Commission reports on the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum at halfway mark

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

Today, the Commission is reporting on the state of play on the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, adopted in June 2024. Half-way through the transition period, 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.

In the Common Implementation Planpresented in June 2024, the Commission had set out the key milestones to put in place the legal and operational capabilities required to successfully start applying the new legislation by June 2026.

As required under the Pact, the Commission is today reporting on the progress made so far on each building block of the Common Implementation Plan:

1. Eurodac: Significant progress has been made to put in place the renewed Eurodac database, as a critical precondition for the functioning of all elements of the Pact. With some Member States still facing challenges in setting up the new system, the Commission and the EU Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems (eu-LISA) are monitoring the developments and will continue to provide additional support.
2. External borders: Preparations for putting in place the new screening and border procedures are underway. Some Member States have already reached the required reception capacity and human resources. Challenges remain as regards the identification of locations for the screening and the border procedures, as well as on procurement and adequate resources.
3. Reception conditions: Ensuring sufficient reception capacity and adequate reception conditions across Member States is essential, including to prevent secondary movements from one EU Member State to another. Work is ongoing to reflect the new reception standards and ensure sufficient capacity.
4. Fair, efficient and convergent asylum procedures: Member States are adjusting to the new legal framework, also with EU support. Further work is needed to reduce backlogs and delays in the asylum procedures, including by increasing capacity and providing adequate training.
5. Return procedures: Member States are closing the loopholes between asylum and return procedures, as required by the Pact. Negotiations on the Commission proposal for a return Regulation are progressing and should be concluded swiftly to address remaining inefficiencies in return procedures.
6. Making responsibility work: For the Pact to function, Member States need to work on the basis of a fair sharing of responsibility. Dublin transfers to the Member State responsible for an asylum application should take place to and from all Member States. This is essential for an effective transition to the new responsibility rules and the proper functioning of the annual solidarity cycle, which will determine the solidarity contributions between Member States.
7. Making solidarity work: Work continues to prepare the first annual solidarity cycle in October 2025, and to establish the permanent solidarity mechanism by June 2026. The Commission, the European Asylum Agency (EUAA) and Member States are working closely to gather the necessary data to assess the migratory situation and determine the solidarity contributions of each Member State.
8. Preparedness and contingency planning are needed to guarantee that asylum and reception systems can function properly under all circumstances. Member States need to ensure that contingency plans are fit for purpose, test them when possible and ensure coherence with other contingency plans such as on borders and return.
9. New safeguards and monitoring of fundamental rights: The Pact strikes a balance between obligations and rights of people seeking protection in the EU. National plans generally reflect this overall balance and incorporate the new elements. Work should continue to operationalise the independent fundamental rights monitoring mechanism and free counselling.
10. Integration and legal pathways: Across the EU, integration efforts show increasingly positive effects, with continuous efforts needed in the areas of education, employment, health and housing.

The Commission and EU Agencies Frontex, EUAA and eu-LISA are supporting Member States, including through practical guidance, new tools and targeted support. In May, an additional €3 billion has been made available from the EU budget to help implement the Pact and support Member States hosting displaced persons from Ukraine.

Next steps

The Commission calls on Member States to continue their efforts to ensure that the implementation of the Pact will be a success. While progress is being made at technical level, sustained political engagement and ownership at national level remain essential to address the identified challenges effectively, to achieve full readiness by mid-next year.

The next implementation report will be published in October 2025 as part of the first Annual Report on Migration and Asylum.

Background

The adoption of the Pact on Migration and Asylum (the Pact) in June 2024 marked an important milestone in the development of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). The Pact reforms and further develops the current rules, on the basis of a comprehensive approach that strengthens and integrates EU policies on migration, asylum, border management and integration. The Pact creates a legal framework that balances solidarity and responsibility between Member States, in a comprehensive approach to managing migration effectively and fairly. The legislative acts of the Pact entered into force on 11 June 2024 and will apply from mid-2026.

Following the adoption of the Pact, the Commission put forward a Common Implementation Plan in June 2024, setting out the key milestones for all Member States to put in place the legal and operational capabilities required to successfully start applying the new legislation. In parallel, the Commission and EU Agencies provide tailor-made assistance to Member States. This includes both operational and financial support such as the one made available this May to Member States.

With today’s Communication, the Commission informs the European Parliament and the Council on the progress made in the implementation of the Pact.

The Pact on Migration and Asylum will also have a positive impact on the Commission’s work to support Member States implementing simplification objectives. Many of the new rules under the Pact are simplifying procedures amongst Member States. From a faster take-back procedure of asylum-applicants to the Member State responsible to process it, to issuing a return decision at the same time as a negative asylum decision, there are many improvements that will reduce delays and manage migration more efficiently.