The Council of the European Union has today officially adopted the reform of the EU migration and asylum pact, following the green light given by MEPs.
By adopting a new system, the EU is establishing new rules that will help the member states manage the arrivals of migrants through regulated procedures, create effective and uniform procedures as well as ensure that the burden is shared evenly, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
The asylum and migration pact will ensure a fairer and stronger migration system that makes a concrete difference on the ground. These new rules will make the European asylum system more effective and increase solidarity between member states.
Screening of Migrants & Asylum Applicants Will Take Place at an External Border
As the Council has explained, in line with the screening regulation, member states will now be able to carry out the necessary procedures for migrants and asylum seekers at the external border.
Moreover, the screening regulation sets out that identification, security checks, and health evaluations will be carried out in a uniform way, meaning that all member states will follow the same procedures.
The Council has also overhauled the asylum procedure regulation by streamlining the asylum procedure and the return border procedure regulation, which deals with returns of individuals whose applications have been rejected.
Eurodac database has also been updated, and it will now allow the authorities to gather more information, including biometric data, on migrants as well as on international protection applicants and those who have entered the bloc irregularly.
In addition to these, the EU has also overhauled the asylum and migration management regulation, the crisis regulation, the qualification regulation, the reception conditions directive, and the resettlement regulation.
By adopting ten legislative acts and reforming the entire framework for asylum and migration management, the EU wants to ensure a fairer and stronger migration system. At the same time, it also wants to increase solidarity between the member states.
A Mandatory Border Procedure Will Now Apply to Certain Categories of Asylum Seekers
An important new feature of the reform is the mandatory border procedure, the Council has emphasised.
According to the authority, the mandatory border procedure will apply to certain categories of asylum seekers, such as those who come from countries with low asylum recognition rates.
The aim of the procedure is to make a quick assessment at the EU’s external borders of whether applications are unfounded or inadmissible.
The new rules have also clarified which member states will be responsible for processing asylum applications.
Another important change is the introduction of a solidarity mechanism which will ensure that the responsibilities between the member states will be shared in a fair and transparent manner.
The contributions of the member states can be in the form of relocation, financial contributions, or other alternative solidarity measures.
