On 12 June 2018, as part of the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027, the Commission published a proposal for a new Regulation establishing the Asylum and Migration Fund (AMF). The proposal as such does not cover the funding allocated to the decentralised Agencies and regulates only the AMF that will provide support to the efficient management of migration by the Member States with an envelope of EUR 10,4 billion. The proposed amount presents a significant increase compared to the 2014-2020 budget, which amounted to EUR 7,3 billion.

The Fund will address the continuing needs in the areas of asylum (30%), early integration (30%) and return (40%), through supporting Member States' long-term funding (EUR 6,3 billion) and responding to targeted thematic action and urgent needs (EUR 4,2 billion). Member States will receive a fixed sum of EUR 5 million and an additional amount based on a distribution criteria that reflect the needs and the pressure experienced by different Member States. The thematic facility, intended as a flexible and fast response, will be used for the following actions: specific actions; Union actions; emergency assistance; resettlement; support to Member States contributing to solidarity and responsibility efforts and European Migration network.

The objectives of the Fund are:

• to strengthen and develop all aspects of the common European asylum system, including its external dimension;
• to support legal migration to the Member States, including to contribute to the integration of third-country nationals;
• to contribute to countering irregular migration and ensuring effectiveness of return and readmission in third countries.

In the European Parliament, the proposal establishing the Asylum and Migration Fund has been assigned to the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE) under the rapporteurship of Tanja Fajon (S&D, Malta). The rapporteur adopted a draft report on 31 October 2018, which was voted in the LIBE committee on 19 February 2019. The Rapporteur believes that the European Union should try to utilise this Fund to help address the different challenges linked with migration and asylum: from reforming the Common European Asylum system, to making the return policy more sustainable and more effective, to creating legal channels of migration and promoting the integration of refugees, into Member States' societies. The Rapporteur believes that localities and regions should be actively participating in actions and measures under the work programmes and thematic facility and should be well equipped to ensure inclusivity and dignity for all, including through education, language training, and other actions. The Rapporteur further stresses that actions in or in relation to third countries must not be funded primarily from this Fund. Finally, the European Parliament must be given access to adequate information about the use of the Fund.

The Parliament voted on the report on 13 March 2019 and adopted a decision, on 24 September 2019, to open interinstitutional negotiations.

At the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting of 12 October 2018, most ministers agreed on the inclusion of dedicated components for the purpose of addressing the external dimension of migration in the thematic facility of each home affairs fund, including the Asylum and Migration Fund. They also confirmed that coordination will be the key for achieving objectives of different funds and instruments.

On 7 June 2019, the Council reached partial general approach on the asylum and migration fund. The adopted position enlarges the scope of the support initially proposed by the Commission in the area of management of asylum and migration. The agreed text allows for synergies with other EU funds in the field of integration, as well as on the use of multipurpose equipment, including ICT systems. The role of EU agencies, such as Europol or Frontex, during the programming phase has been defined more clearly. For all comitology decisions, where the Commission is granted implementing powers, the examination procedure has been proposed, which allows for a qualified majority of member states to decide the adoption or rejection of an implementing act.

On 10 November 2020, The European Parliament and German Presidency of the Council reached a political agreement on the 2021-2027 MFF and new own resources. On 17 December, the European Parliament gave its consent to the next multiannual financial framework. The AMF will be allocated a budget of €8.705 billion (in 2018 prices) for the 2021-2027 period.

On 9 December 2020, the Parliament and the Council Presidency reached a political agreement on the AMF over the next seven years. According to the agreement, the new fund will be renamed, at the request of the EP, as Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, it should contribute to strengthening the common asylum policy, develop legal migration, support third-country nationals to effectively integrate, and contribute to the fight against irregular migration. Funds should also aim at enhancing solidarity and responsibility sharing between the member states and could be allocated to local and regional authorities to support people to integrate into their community. On 16 December, the agreement was supported by the COREPER.

On 1 March 2021, the LIBE committee approved the text agreed at the interinstitutional negotiations.

On 14 June 2021, the EU Council adopted the proposal on Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, which was adopted by the European Parliament in a second reading on 6 July 2021. The act was signed on 7 July and published in the Official Journal on 15 July. It entered into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal.

References:

• EP Legislative Observatory, Procedure file on a Regulation on the Asylum and Migration Fund, 2018/0248 (COD)
• European Commission, Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Asylum and Migration Fund, COM(2018) 471
• European Parliament, Report on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Asylum and Migration Fund, 2018/0248(COD)
• Council, Funding for migration, border and security policies: Council agrees its position, Press release, 7 June 2019
• European Parliament, Deal on EU funds for common asylum, migration and integration policies up to 2027, Press release, 9 December 2020
• Council, Position of the Council at first reading with a view to the adoption of a regulation establishing the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, 6486/21.
• Committee of the Regions, Opinion on Asylum and Migration Fund proposal, CDR 4007/2018
• European Economic and Social Committee, Opinion on the Asylum and Migration Fund (AMF) and Integrated Border Management Fund, SOC/600
• Regulation (EU) 2021/1147 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund

Further reading:

• European Parliament, EPRS, The migration, borders and security cluster of the 2021-2027 MFF, Initial Appraisal of a European Commission Impact Assessment, December 2018
• European Parliament, EPRS, Asylum, Migration & Integration Fund 2021-2027, Plenary at a glance, July 2021.

Author: Anja Radjenovic, Members' Research Service, legislative-train@europarl.europa.eu

Visit the European Parliament homepage on Migration.