The Pact established a comprehensive framework for European policy on migration, asylum, border management and integration. The new rules entered into force on 11 June 2024 and, following a two-year implementation period, have in principle applied since June 2026.
At an expert dialogue on the future of European migration and asylum policy, specialists discussed the first experiences with implementing the Pact as well as the challenges that remain.
With the application of the Pact, new common rules now apply to screening, border procedures, reception conditions, responsibility and solidarity, as well as to the management of crisis situations. Member States have adapted procedures and administrative structures, expanded infrastructure and invested in training and operational capacity. Key innovations include the further development of the Eurodac system, screening procedures and new procedures at the EU’s external borders.
Implementation nevertheless remains a complex and ongoing process. There are still considerable differences between Member States in terms of their respective levels of preparedness and implementation. Challenges arise in particular from the adaptation of national legislation, the design of operational procedures, the allocation of responsibilities between authorities, sufficient reception capacity, and the application of the new rules by national judicial systems.
Although the first months of implementation are already providing important practical experience, it is still too early to make a definitive assessment of the Pact’s effectiveness. At the same time, irregular arrivals and asylum applications in the European Union have declined significantly over the past two years, which may be seen as an indication that joint European efforts are having an effect.
A sustainable European migration policy must also take the entire migration route into account – from the causes and wider conditions driving migration, through countries of origin and transit, to arrival in the European Union and the treatment of people seeking protection. Cooperation with third countries therefore constitutes another central pillar of the European approach.
A key focus of the dialogue was the interplay between responsibility and solidarity within the new EU asylum system. While the previous Dublin system linked responsibility for examining an asylum application largely to the country of first entry, thereby placing particular pressure on Member States at the external borders, the new Pact on Migration and Asylum supplements the rules on responsibility with a permanent and mandatory solidarity mechanism.
Member States can contribute, among other things, by relocating applicants or beneficiaries of protection, making financial contributions or providing other forms of support.
So-called offsets also play a role during the current initial and transitional phase. These allow certain existing responsibilities and movements within the European Union to be taken into account within the solidarity mechanism.
At the same time, Member States are seeking to resolve outstanding cases and disputes relating to the previous Dublin system through bilateral negotiations, particularly with regard to the transfer back of people who have moved on irregularly within the European Union.
Pragmatic transitional solutions are therefore likely to remain necessary during the first implementation cycles before the new procedures are fully established. The underlying principle remains that solidarity between Member States must go hand in hand with the reliable fulfilment of their respective responsibilities.
Recent developments at the EU’s external borders have raised the question of whether the new instruments are sufficient to respond to exceptional situations and sudden increases in migratory pressure, particularly in cases involving the instrumentalisation of migration. The Pact provides a specific legal framework for such situations through the Crisis Regulation.
At the same time, the current debate shows that the Pact cannot be regarded as a definitive response to every conceivable crisis scenario. Rather, its implementation is complemented by additional measures in the fields of crisis preparedness, international cooperation and, where necessary, further European instruments. In her State of the Union address in September 2026, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also announced a new European emergency and response framework. Several Member States are also calling for additional response options, including clearer procedures for dealing with acute migration crises, faster return procedures and a stronger operational role for Frontex.
The implementation of the Pact is not a completed process. A recurring theme of the expert dialogue was the need to understand the application of the new rules as a continuous process of learning, monitoring and adjustment.
European agencies such as the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) and Frontex support Member States through guidance and operational tools, as well as a wide range of training tailored to different target groups. Complementary monitoring mechanisms are also intended to provide insights into how the new rules are working in practice and where adjustments may be required.
The coming implementation cycles will be crucial for identifying structural and operational challenges at an early stage, systematically exchanging experience between Member States and, where necessary, identifying further areas for action at European level.
The Pact establishes a new common European framework. Its practical effectiveness, however, will depend to a significant extent on how the rules are implemented on the ground. Sufficient administrative and operational capacity, reliable cooperation between Member States and mutual trust remain essential prerequisites for the success and further development of the European migration and asylum system.
