(Photo: Roberta F./CC BY-SA 3.0)

BRUSSELS/ZAGREB, 12 June 2026 (Hina) – The European Union’s long-awaited Migration and Asylum Pact officially came into force on Friday, introducing a comprehensive set of common rules aimed at managing migration, strengthening external border controls and streamlining asylum procedures across all member states.

The pact consists of ten legislative measures that were negotiated over eight years and represents the EU’s most significant migration reform in more than a decade.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the new framework would deliver stronger external borders, greater solidarity between member states and more effective asylum and return procedures for irregular migrants.

European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner described the reform as an effort to restore order to Europe’s migration system, saying it would help determine who can enter, remain in or be required to leave the European Union.

The reform is based on proposals first presented by the European Commission in 2020 following the failure of earlier attempts to overhaul the system after the migrant crisis of 2015 and 2016. The pact was formally adopted in May 2024, with member states given two years to prepare for implementation.

A central feature of the pact is a mandatory solidarity mechanism designed to support countries facing disproportionate migration pressure.

Under the system, member states can choose how they contribute. Options include relocating asylum seekers from heavily affected countries, making financial contributions to a common solidarity fund, or providing technical and operational assistance such as equipment and personnel.

For the period from 12 June until the end of 2026, Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Spain will be able to access support that includes the relocation of up to 21,000 asylum seekers or financial assistance worth up to €420 million from the EU budget.

Croatia is among six member states identified by the European Commission as having experienced significant cumulative migration pressure over the past five years. Alongside Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia and Poland, Croatia can request a full or partial exemption from contributing to the solidarity mechanism.

Faster border and asylum procedures

The pact introduces stricter and faster procedures at the EU’s external borders, particularly for applicants arriving from countries with low asylum approval rates.

All irregular migrants arriving at external borders will undergo mandatory registration and comprehensive identity, security and health checks. Those who do not meet entry requirements will be recorded and processed under the new screening system.

The reform also expands the role of the Eurodac database, allowing authorities to more effectively verify the identities of asylum seekers and irregular migrants.

Applicants considered unlikely to qualify for international protection, or those deemed a security risk, will face accelerated border procedures lasting up to 12 weeks, with an extension to 16 weeks in exceptional cases. Individuals whose applications are rejected will be expected to return to their countries of origin within a further 12 weeks.

Accelerated procedures will also apply to individuals who pose national security concerns, provide misleading information about their identity or come from countries whose asylum approval rate in the EU is below 20 per cent.

Unaccompanied minors will generally be exempt from these accelerated procedures unless they are considered a security threat.

Despite securing approval, the pact remains politically contentious.

Critics on the political left argue that the reforms are too restrictive and risk undermining refugee rights. Amnesty International has warned that some measures could increase hardship for migrants and weaken Europe’s asylum protections, particularly during crisis situations when member states may temporarily suspend certain procedures.

Meanwhile, critics on the right argue that the reforms do not go far enough to prevent irregular migration.

The legislation passed the European Parliament in April 2024 by relatively narrow margins on several votes. Hungary and Poland opposed the package in the Council of the EU.

Among Croatian Members of the European Parliament who participated in the vote, all supported the pact.

Croatia’s position

Croatia occupies a unique position within the reform due to its role as an external Schengen border and a long-standing transit country along the Western Balkan migration route.

Croatian MEP Karlo Ressler, who was part of the European People’s Party negotiating team, has been among the strongest supporters of the reforms. He argued that the current system has allowed too many unsuccessful asylum applicants to remain in the EU despite legal orders requiring their departure.

Fellow Croatian MEP Tomislav Sokol highlighted the security dimension of migration policy, calling for stronger European tools to prevent uncontrolled arrivals and accelerate the return of those staying illegally within the Union.

European officials have cautioned against expecting a flawless launch.

Commissioner Brunner recently acknowledged that implementation challenges are inevitable as member states adapt to the new system.

Migration analyst Alberto-Horst Neidhardt of the European Policy Centre warned that the success of the pact will depend largely on whether member states fully implement the agreed rules. Failure to do so, he said, could lead to the return of internal border controls across the Schengen area and increased political tensions over migration.

According to a European Commission report published in May 2026, most member states remain on track to implement the reforms on time.

The report also noted a 35 per cent decline in irregular crossings of the EU’s external borders between July 2024 and June 2025 compared with the previous year. Asylum applications fell by 23 per cent during the first half of 2025, partly due to a significant reduction in applications from Syrian nationals following political developments in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024.

However, experts caution that these improvements may be temporary and do not yet demonstrate the long-term resilience of the EU’s new migration system.

The coming months will provide the first real test of whether the Migration and Asylum Pact can deliver on its promise of a more coordinated and effective European approach to migration management.