Migration and asylum – Photo © European Union 2024 – Oliver Bunic
(BRUSSELS) – The European Parliament ended political deadlock Wednesday with a green light to a package of legislative texts for comprehensive reform of European migration and asylum policy.
A regulation on asylum and migration management will help EU states subject to migratory pressure, with other member states contributing by relocating asylum applicants or beneficiaries of international protection to their territory, making financial contributions, or providing operational and technical support. The criteria according to which a member state is responsible for examining international protection applications (the so called Dublin rules) will also be updated.
The crisis and force majeure regulation will establish a mechanism to respond to sudden increases in arrivals, ensuring solidarity and support for member states facing an exceptional influx of third-country nationals. The new rules will also cover the instrumentalisation of migrants, i.e. when they are used by third-countries or hostile non-state actors aiming to destabilise the EU.
If people do not meet the conditions to enter the EU they will be subject to a pre-entry screening procedure, including identification, collecting of biometric data, and health and security checks, during a period of up to seven days. Member states will have to set independent monitoring mechanisms to ensure the respect for fundamental rights.
A new common procedure is to be established across the EU to grant and withdraw international protection. Processing asylum claims at EU borders will in future have to be faster, with shorter deadlines for unfounded or inadmissible claims.
The data of those arriving irregularly to the EU, including fingerprints and facial images from six years old onwards, will be stored in the reformed Eurodac database. Authorities will also be able to record if someone may present a security threat or was violent or armed.
MEPs have backed new uniform standards for all member states for the recognition of refugee or subsidiary protection status, and regarding the rights granted to those qualifying for protection. Member states should assess the situation in the country of origin based on information from the EU Asylum Agency and refugee status would be reviewed regularly. Applicants for protection will have to remain on the territory of the member state responsible for their application or in which the protection was granted.
When it comes to housing, schooling and health care, member states will have to ensure equivalent reception standards for asylum seekersRegistered asylum applicants will be able to start working at the latest six months after filing the request. The conditions of detention and the restriction of freedom of movement will be regulated, to discourage applicants from moving around the EU.
Under a new framework on resettlement and humanitarian admission, member states will, on a voluntary basis, offer to host UNHCR-recognised refugees from third countries, who would travel to EU territory in a legal, organised and safe way.
The package now needs to be formally approved by the EU Council, following which the laws will enter into force after their publication in the Official Journal. The regulations are expected to start applying in two years’ time. For the reception conditions directive, member states will have two years to introduce the changes to their national laws.
Further information, European Parliament
Adopted texts will be available here (10.4.2024)
Text of the provisional agreement on Asylum and migration management
Text of the provisional agreement on Crisis and force majeure
Text of the provisional agreement on Screening regulation
Text of the provisional agreement on Screening TCN-Ecris regulation
Text of the provisional agreement on Asylum procedures regulation
Text of the return border procedure
Text of the provisional agreement on Eurodac
Text of the provisional agreement on Qualification standards
Text of the provisional agreement on EU Resettlement framework
