Fully applicable since 12 June 2026, the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum aims to strengthen the European Union’s external borders, streamline asylum procedures, promote solidarity among member states, and integrate migration into the EU’s international partnerships. To achieve these goals, the Pact establishes binding rules for uniform screening procedures, accelerated border processing, and a "solidarity mechanism" designed to share responsibility more evenly across member states. According to the EU "solidarity pool" mechanism, member states may choose either to relocate asylum seekers or to provide financial and operational support to countries under significant migratory pressure.
The Pact forms part of the five-year European Asylum and Migration Management Strategy. Its application this year includes 10 legislative acts designed to strengthen and harmonize migration and asylum policies across EU member states. The Commission presents the strategy as the beginning of a new chapter in reducing illegal migration and improving migration management.
Since 2023, the number of illegal migrant arrivals has gradually declined. According to the Commission, restoring public confidence requires demonstrating that the EU is capable of effectively managing irregular migration. The strategy outlines a zero-tolerance approach to the abuse of the asylum system, arguing that illegal migrants are not eligible for protection and cannot remain in Europe. Around 90% of people entering the EU illegally rely on the services of criminal smuggling networks. Combating these networks, which undermine human rights and exploit migrants’ vulnerability, is therefore another key objective of the strategy. At the same time, the EU also seeks to meet its obligations under EU and international law by protecting people fleeing war. Another objective is to strengthen the competitiveness of the European economy, by striking a balance between stricter immigration measures and the need to retain skilled migrant workers.
Under the reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) each member state implements the asylum procedures through to its own national legal and institutional framework. The Bundesrat approved legislation to implement the Pact and the CEAS, enabling Germany to introduce mandatory screenings and security checks for individuals entering the country illegally, as well as accelerated procedures for individuals with limited prospects of obtaining the right to remain in the EU.
Migration has become a major political issue in Germany, often highlighted by the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has also gained electoral support by emphasizing the topic. Seeking to regain voters’ confidence, the German government introduced measures to reduce certain benefits previously available to asylum-seekers. Under an amendment to the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act, Germany continue to provide food, housing, and healthcare, while reducing cash benefits intended for clothing and household goods. This policy prompted a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on whether the asylum benefits provided by Germany complied with EU requirements. The case concerned an Afghan asylum-seeker whose application had been rejected by Germany and who was awaiting transfer to Romania. During this period, he was denied clothing and other household items due to the reduced benefits available to rejected asylum seekers under German law. The ECJ ruled in his favor, stating that access to necessities, including clothing and household goods, cannot be withdrawn even if the asylum application has been rejected.
With the implementation of the new Pact, Germany aims to further tighten its migration policy. To counter secondary migration, EU member states will be able to establish Dublin centers so that individuals found to have entered another EU member state can be transferred back to the state responsible for examining their asylum application. As Germany has no external EU borders, it plans to establish such centers close to airports to facilitate the swift return of individuals whose applications have been rejected. The Pact also allows for accelerated procedures for applicants from countries with low asylum recognition rates. Under the new rules, asylum seekers will be permitted to access the German labour market three months after submitting their application. However, individuals who attempt to falsify their identity will not be granted permission to work.
Today’s Germany is a far cry from the welcoming, open-door "Wir schaffen das" policies of the Merkel government. The implementation of the Pact combined with the anti-immigration policies introduced by the Merz government reflects a broader shift in European migration policy towards stricter border management and faster asylum procedures. Whether these reforms will reduce irregular migration while remaining consistent with EU legal obligations is likely to become one of the defining policy debates of the coming years.
