Blogger's Zone: What is EU migration reform?

Friday, June 9, 2023

What is EU migration reform?

The EU is currently working on a reform of its migration and asylum policies. The goal is to develop and harmonize principles and measures used by member countries of the European Union to regulate migration processes and to manage issues concerning asylum and refugee status in the European Union, in particular in the Schengen Area

The European Parliament and the rotating Council Presidencies have committed to work together to adopt the reform of the EU migration and asylum rules before the 2024 EU elections

. The regulation sets out how the EU and its member states will act jointly to manage asylum and migration. It establishes improved criteria to determine the responsibility of member states in processing an asylum application (the so-called ‘Dublin’ criteria) and fair sharing of responsibility. It includes a binding solidarity mechanism to assist countries experiencing migratory pressure, including following search and rescue operations at sea

The reform includes several proposals, such as a new EU approach to migration based on shared responsibility and solidarity, focused on managing Schengen and external borders and better asylum procedures

. The European Parliament has agreed on several legislative proposals for reform of the Common European Asylum System, including the Regulation on Asylum and Migration Management (RAMM), the amendments to the Asylum Procedure Regulation (APR), the Screening Regulation, and the Crisis Regulation

The EU has agreed radical reforms of its migration and asylum laws, including charges of €20,000 per head for countries that refuse to host refugees

. The reform also includes a mechanism to ensure that asylum seekers are processed and settled more evenly across Europe while making it easier to return people whose applications are rejected

The reform has faced challenges and dissent from some member states. National governments remain divided on migration and asylum reform, as they have been since the crisis caused by large numbers of migrants arriving in Europe fleeing civil war in Syria in 2015

Overall, the EU migration reform aims to create a more effective and humane way of managing migration and asylum, fully in line with the EU's values and with international laws