The EU response to migration and asylum

Europe attracts many migrants and asylum seekers. Find out how the EU has been working to improve its asylum and migration policy.

 Greece's Hellenic Coast Guard approaches a boat containing 43 Syrian refugees in the Mediterranean sea, off the coast of Lesbos, Greece.
Greece's Hellenic Coast Guard approaches a boat containing 43 Syrian refugees in the Mediterranean sea © UNHCR/Andrew McConnell

Migration rates into Europe have been steadily increasing for a number of years, with the total number of non-EU nationals entering the EU reaching 5.1 million in 2022.

People come to Europe for different reasons and in different ways, including some who enter the EU without the necessary authorisations.

In 2015, there were 1.83 million irregular crossings at the EU's external borders. While irregular crossings stood at around 380,000 in 2023, this was still the highest recorded number since 2016.

Parliament has been working on a number of proposals to remedy shortcomings in the EU’s asylum and migration policy: from reforming the asylum system to strengthening border security, improving legal labour migration and promoting the integration of refugees.

Reforming the European asylum system


Asylum seekers: solidarity with frontline countries


In response to the refugee crisis in 2015, the European Commission presented proposals to reform the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) in 2016, including new laws to replace the Dublin System, which sets out rules to determine the allocation of asylum applicants among EU countries. The Dublin System put a huge burden on a limited number of EU countries with external borders because they were responsible for processing most asylum claims as they were the first EU country the migrants entered

To improve this situation, in 2020, the European Commission proposed a New Pact on Migration and Asylum. The asylum and migration management regulation replaces the current Dublin regulation with the aim of streamlining the rules and shortening the time limits.

The new asylum system aims to support front line countries in times of pressure by introducing a new system of solidarity from other EU countries. The new system comes with flexibility, so EU countries will be able to choose how they can help fellow EU countries receiving many migrants by accepting asylum seekers from the country of first entry, by providing financial contributions or giving technical support, when needed.

MEPs approved the final form of the Pact on Migration and Asylum in April 2024.

Revamping the EU agency for asylum


In 2021, Parliament backed the transformation of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) into the EU Agency for Asylum. The revamped agency, which started work in January 2022, helps make asylum procedures in EU countries faster and more uniform.

Its 500 experts provide support to national asylum systems facing a high caseload, making overall EU migration management more efficient and sustainable. In addition, the new agency is in charge of monitoring whether fundamental rights are being respected in the context of international protection procedures and reception conditions in EU countries.

Providing EU funds for asylum


In 2021, MEPs backed the creation of a new Integrated Border Management Fund (IBMF) and agreed to allocate €6.24 billion to it. The fund helps to boost EU countries’ capacities in border management while ensuring fundamental rights are respected. It also contributes to a common, harmonised visa policy and introduces protective measures for vulnerable people arriving in Europe, notably unaccompanied children.

Parliament also approved the renewed Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) of €9.88 billion for 2021-2027. The fund contributes to strengthening common asylum policy, develops legal migration in line with the needs of EU countries, supports the integration of non-EU nationals, and contributes to the fight against irregular migration.

The funds help EU countries to share the responsibility of hosting refugees and asylum seekers more fairly. In addition, they provide direct funding to local and regional authorities for integration policies and programmes focusing on counselling, education, language and other training such as civic orientation courses and professional guidance.

Responding to the Ukrainian refugees crisis


In addition to the asylum system, the EU has also established temporary protection mechanisms for specific groups of refugees or displaced people. One such mechanism is the Temporary Protection Directive, which provides a framework for granting temporary protection when there is a sudden increase in the number of refugees. The directive was adopted in 2001 in response to the conflict in the Balkans.

For the first time in its history, the European Union activated the Temporary Protection Directive following Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. The EU responded rapidly and showed solidarity in action by helping people in need. This included direct humanitarian aid, emergency civil protection assistance, support at the border, as well as granting protection to those fleeing the war and entering the EU.

Securing the EU's external borders and managing migration flows


Countering irregular migration while respecting applicants' rights


The arrival of large numbers of people at the EU's external borders over the past decade has put the EU’s border-free area, Schengen under stress. To maintain a Schengen area without internal border checks, it is key to manage the EU external borders effectively.

The European Parliament has been working to tighten border controls and improve the ability of EU countries to track people entering Europe.

To do this, the Pact on Migration and Asylum introduces a better screening process, a faster asylum process at the borders and swift returns for rejected asylum applicants.

The aim of the new screening process is to provide a faster way to identify the correct procedure for authorities to apply to people entering the EU without fulfilling the entry conditions. The procedure will include identification, health and security checks, and fingerprinting and registration in the Eurodac database.

If people entering the EU irregularly choose to put in a request for asylum, the pact also includes the possibility of a faster and simplified procedure directly after screening. The procedure should be completed in 12 weeks, including appeals. In the case of a rejection or dismissal of a claim, the failed applicant should be notified immediately of the return decision, and should be returned within 12 weeks.

People subject to the border asylum procedure are not authorised to enter the respective country’s territory.

Reinforcing Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard


Frontex, the EU's border and coast guard, helps to manage the EU’s external borders and to fight cross-border crime.

The refugee influx in 2015 put enormous pressure on national border authorities. Parliament called for a strengthening of Frontex and the Commission proposed to extend Frontex's mandate and to transform it into a fully-fledged European Border and Coast Guard Agency, with the aim of reinforcing the management and security of the EU's external borders and supporting national border guards.

It was officially launched at the Bulgarian external border with Türkiye in October 2016. Frontex supports EU and Schengen countries in all aspects of border management, from support on the ground and fighting cross-border crime, aerial surveillance and collecting information, to help with return procedures.

Frontex has a current standing corps of more than 2,000 border guards. There are plans to increase this to 10,000 border guards by 2027.

In December 2023, MEPs adopted a resolution in which they called on Frontex to comply with fundamental rights in border operations, as well as for greater accountability and transparency in the agency’s work.

Internal border controls as a last resort


EU countries have been reinstating border controls within the Schengen area over the last few years, and these controls often last for long periods.

In order to preserve free movement while addressing genuine security threats, the Commission put forward a proposal in 2021 to revise rules for the Schengen area. The amended rules clarify that the reintroduction of border controls remains a last resort.

EU countries may exceptionally reintroduce controls when there is a serious threat to public policy or internal security. Such controls would be limited to a period of up to one month and can only be prolonged up to three months in the case of unforeseeable threats. In the case of foreseeable threats, such controls may remain from six months to two years.

As an alternative to internal border controls, the new rules promote police cooperation in border regions to address unauthorised movements within the Schengen area. Apprehended non-EU citizens with irregular status often arrive from another EU country, so if the two countries hold joint patrols, the irregular migrants may be transferred back to the first EU country. MEPs ensured that several categories, including unaccompanied minors, were excluded from such returns.

Improving pathways for legal migration


Safe alternatives for asylum seekers


Since 2015, EU-sponsored resettlement schemes have helped more than 119,000 vulnerable people in need of international protection find shelter in the EU.

Resettlement is a safe and legal alternative to irregular journeys for asylum seekers and is based on referrals by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

Under the 2024-2025 EU Resettlement and Humanitarian admission scheme, 14 EU countries have pledged to resettle 61,000 people.

Resettlement is also an important element of the EU-Türkiye agreement on migration management. Since March 2016, more than 40,000 Syrians have been resettled to EU countries.

In addition to these schemes, as part of the overhaul of the asylum and migration system, in 2016 the Commission proposed a Union Resettlement Framework which would see the EU move away from ad hoc resettlement schemes and adopt a two- year EU resettlement and humanitarian admission plan


As part of the plan EU countries will offer resettlement voluntarily to particularly vulnerable people. The plan would outline the maximum total number of persons to be admitted, the contributions of EU countries and the overall geographical priorities.

MEPs confirmed their  support for the agreement on a new EU Resettlement framework in April 2024.


Work permits for economic migrants


The EU has also been working to boost legal migration to address labour shortages, fill skill gaps and boost economic growth with:

  • EU Blue Card: a work and residence permit for highly skilled non-EU workers

  • The single permit: a combined work and residence permit, valid for two years and country-specific

  • EU long-term resident status: this allows non-EU citizens to stay and work in the EU for an indefinite period. Once the status has been granted, it is possible to move and work within the EU

Fostering refugees’ integration in Europe

 

The Reception Conditions Directive has also been revised to ensure equivalent reception standards across EU countries when it comes to material conditions, health care and an adequate standard of living for those who request international protection, while also limiting movements of asylum seekers from one EU country to another.

To improve their chances of being able to live independently and integrating, asylum applicants should be allowed to work not later than nine months from the date of the registration of their application. They will have access to language courses, as well as civic education courses or vocational training. All children requesting asylum should be enrolled in school at the latest two months after arrival and unaccompanied minors will have a guardian appointed to them.

Asylum seekers will have access to reception conditions only in the country that is handling their asylum application.

Parliament gave its final endorsement of the revised law in April 2024.