The European Pact on Migration and Asylum comes into force on 12 June 2026: what does this mean?

For years now, large numbers of people have been coming to Europe to seek asylum. Some countries in Europe have to take in far more people than others. This is the case, for example, with Greece, Italy and Spain. This is because they are often the first countries where refugees arrive in Europe. For years, this has led to long waiting times, overcrowding in reception centres and uncertainty for asylum seekers in those countries. And these countries feel that the other European countries are not helping them enough. Europe has therefore long sought agreements on a common European asylum policy. And this has now been achieved with the

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Would you like to read more about this reception centre directive? Then read more on the government website.

• Faster and more rigorous identity checks (‘screening’) are to be introduced at Europe’s external borders

The screening determines which asylum procedure you will be placed in. Did you submit your asylum application at the external border of the Netherlands, i.e. at an airport or seaport? And do you come from a country from which few people are granted asylum in the EU? If so, you may be subject to a mandatory accelerated border procedure. The border procedure is also applied on a mandatory basis if the authorities believe that the asylum seeker has attempted to mislead them, for example by discarding documents. Or if the authorities believe that the asylum seeker is a danger. People subject to this procedure must complete their asylum application in the Netherlands at the border. The Netherlands chooses to place asylum seekers in the border procedure in

• Mandatory solidarity between EU countries

Under the pact, the country in which a refugee arrives in Europe remains responsible for that refugee. It must receive the refugee and make a decision on his or her asylum application. However, other EU countries must help out of a sense of solidarity if one country has to take in too many people. These other countries are free to choose how they help. They can help by taking in asylum seekers. But they can also do so by providing financial support or staff for procedures and reception centres in that country.

• Accelerated asylum procedure

Under the accelerated asylum procedure, the decision-making period will be reduced to just three months. Currently, around 4 percent of asylum seekers in the Netherlands are subject to the accelerated procedure; this figure will rise to 20 percent. People without travel documents and those coming from a safe country of origin will soon automatically be placed in the accelerated asylum procedure. The same applies to people coming from a country where asylum seekers are often refused asylum.

VWN is also concerned about the mandatory accelerated procedure at the border. This is because it will not only apply to people from safe countries. It will also apply to refugees from unsafe countries who travel to the Netherlands via safe countries. And to anyone without valid documents.

The pact relaxes the rules on ‘safe third countries’. These are countries outside Europe where refugees could also receive protection. The EU wants to send refugees to such countries more often, rather than processing their asylum applications itself. To this end, Europe intends to reach agreements with those countries, for example in exchange for financial support or cooperation.