A collection of laws and guidelines known as the New Pact on Migration and Asylum aims to give the European Union a more equitable, effective, and long-lasting immigration and asylum system. The long-term goal of the Pact, which was put out in September 2020 and approved by the European Parliament and Council in December 2023, is to control and normalize migration while giving newcomers to the EU security, clarity, and adequate living circumstances. Additionally, it creates a shared strategy for immigration and asylum that is founded on accountability, solidarity, and respect for human rights.
Key Components of the New Pact
The Asylum and Migration Pact’s major laws were adopted, opening the door for a new system based on responsibility-sharing and solidarity, which was welcomed by the Renew Europe group. Securing a cross-party majority was made possible in large measure by organization.
As the European Parliament’s shadow rapporteur on the Asylum and Migration Management regulation and rapporteur on the Asylum Procedures regulation, Fabienne Keller (L’Europe Ensemble, France) says, “This is a breakthrough moment to get the asylum and migration reform in place, bringing long-term sustainable solutions that can stand the test of time.” The agreements allow for more effective border controls, strengthened collaboration with transit and origin third-country partners, and the prioritization of the child’s best interests. Other than boosting the returns of those who are denied asylum, Northern and Southern European nations as well as Eastern states will continue to have a common interest in outsourcing migration management duties.
Challenges Posed by Non-Europe
“This new regulation on asylum and migration management will help Member States coordinate with each other and establish guidelines for a robust EU solidarity system to assist Member States that are facing pressure from migration,” Fabienne Keller goes on. In addition, border procedures for clearly ineligible asylum seekers crossing EU external borders would be made possible by the Asylum Procedures law that I worked on.” This group was crucial to the negotiations of the four pieces of legislation, the Screening Regulation and the Crisis Regulation being the other two.
Renew Europe succeeded in reducing bureaucracy by allowing Member States to select the screening location, among other things, and incorporating a 5-day processing time limit for migrant applications in the Screening regulation. Additionally, the regulation includes a new component for vulnerability checks and special guarantees for unaccompanied minors. Creating workable strategies that adhere to general standards, such as human rights, and promote equal opportunity for all states will be crucial. To guarantee that real-world issues can be identified and fixed, it will also be essential to maintain efficient and ongoing monitoring.
Solidarity Vs. National Interests
Rebuilding mutual confidence between member states is crucial after years of squabbling and accusations. If the changes accomplish this goal, then the EU could benefit from them more than from not having them. However, without additional measures to mitigate the risks of implementation errors, dysfunctions, and fragmentation, enacting a new set of laws will not be sufficient on its own.
Now is not the moment to become comfortable. Finalizing the legislative texts, creating implementation strategies, and identifying systemic and long-term needs from financial assistance to monitoring all require careful consideration. Election pressure coupled with uncertainty about the reforms’ effects, particularly on responsibility-sharing, will probably force many EU states to delegate their migration management duties to non-EU nations. Lack of funding would simply increase the likelihood of inconsistent practices, further politicize the enforcement of new regulations in the face of stronger and more assertive EU states, and raise the possibility of a race to the bottom in terms of reception standards in particular.
The mantra of using partnerships with third countries to seal Europe’s borders and swiftly boost return rates is at risk of backfiring in this election year, giving far-right and nationalist forces more political fodder to demonstrate that the EU is still weak and dysfunctional while national governments fall short. Given that migration is a major concern for people in Europe and that these forces might gain further ground in the June parliamentary elections, it might already be too late to stop the era of non-Europe from coming to pass.
Member states should not explore agreements with other countries that prioritize short-term migration containment aims, or exploit the new regulations as a cover from examination, in the upcoming electoral cycle. Rather, they ought to establish terms for equitable, balanced, and all-encompassing collaborations that may successfully tackle the escalating global disparities and dearth of prospects, while also realizing the developmental potential of developing nations. However, this will cost money and time.
