Tomorrow, 12 June 2026, the Pact on Migration and Asylum will start to apply in all EU Member States. Adopted in May 2024, the Pact has overhauled the EU’s migration and asylum framework and now forms the centrepiece of the EU’s new approach on migration. For the first time, the EU has a comprehensive migration and asylum framework in place, with strong external border protection, fair and firm asylum rules, and a balance between solidarity and responsibility.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: ‘Migration is a European challenge which must be met with a European solution. One that is effective, fair and firm. This is what the Pact on Migration and Asylum delivers – more secure external borders, solidarity between Member States and more efficient procedures for asylum and return. And to address the root causes of migration together, we continue to strengthen our relationships with global partners.’
The EU has opened a new chapter on migration and asylum of which the Pact on Migration and Asylum is a core element. It comes together with an assertive migration diplomacy, technologically advanced border protection (with the Entry-Exit System rolled out and fully applied), and new rules to make returns swifter and more effective, as outlined in the European Asylum and Migration Management Strategy. The new approach is already showing strong results, with a 55% decrease in illegal border crossings compared to two years ago.
Core elements of the Pact on Migration and Asylum include:
Secure external borders, with new mandatory registration and thorough security checks of all irregular migrants crossing the EU’s borders illegally, fast-track border procedures in border areas for those unlikely to be in need of protection, present a security risk or mislead the authorities, and swift returns -without the person being authorised to enter the territory of the EU.
Firm and fair asylum procedures, including shorter time limits for asylum procedures, stricter rules for abusive and subsequent applications, and rules to better prevent secondary movements.
EU-wide standards for reception conditions, ensuring dignified reception standards throughout the EU, reducing incentives for secondary movements and facilitating faster access to the labour market (already after 6 months).
A fair balance between solidarity and responsibility, with a permanent mandatory solidarity mechanism and a possibility for Member States to contribute to solidarity in a flexible way, addressing the specific situation of each Member State. It also includes clearer rules on which Member State is responsible for processing an asylum application, as well as faster processes on transferring applicants back to the Member State in charge.
Strong safeguards, to ensure compliance with fundamental rights including an independent monitoring mechanism in during the screening and the asylum border procedure.
As of tomorrow (12 June), the new rules will be fully applicable, and Member States will be able to apply the rules in practice.
To mark this milestone, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner participates tomorrow in an informal Ministerial Conference hosted by the Cypriot Presidency of the Council in Nicosia. A press conference will take place tomorrow at approximately 12:45 CEST and will be livestreamed on EBS.
Next steps
The key pillars of the new system are in place. Looking ahead, implementing this complex set of reforms requires significant legal and operational work. Member States will continue to adapt and finetune the new procedures in the coming months, with continuous support from the Commission and EU Agencies.
In parallel, the Commission, together with Member States, will continue strengthening its migration diplomacy tools and working with international partners, including countries of origin and transit, while ensuring the EU has the rules and processes in place to attract the skills it needs to boost the competitiveness of our economies.
For More Information
Pact on Migration and Asylum
Q and A
Factsheet
European Asylum and Migration Management Strategy
Regulation establishing a new Common European System for Returns
Entry-Exit System
Quote(s)
Migration is a European challenge which must be met with a European solution. One that is effective, fair and firm. This is what the Pact on Migration and Asylum delivers – more secure external borders, solidarity between Member States and more efficient procedures for asylum and return. And to address the root causes of migration together, we continue to strengthen our relationships with global partners.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
After years of intense work, we now have a robust, balanced framework to manage migration in the EU. The Pact on Migration and Asylum strengthens the protection of our external borders, it makes asylum procedures faster and more efficient and ensures the right balance between solidarity and responsibility.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
The Pact on Migration and Asylum is an important element of the reform of our migration management system. We are putting our European house in order. This creates the conditions for us to decide who can come to Europe, who can stay, and who must leave. It strengthens trust between Member States and gives Europe more control.
Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration
EU agrees to accelerate defence industrial base ramp-up and simplify defence procurement
The European Commission welcomes the provisional political agreement reached today between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU to simplify security and defence procurement, facilitate defence investments and support the defence industry.
The Commission proposed the defence omnibus a year ago, as part of the EU’s simplification agenda to boost Europe’s competitiveness. These measures directly address industry calls for faster, more flexible, and less burdensome defence industrial policies, strengthening Europe’s security and industrial resilience.
Today’s agreement will facilitate the transfer of defence products within the EU. New EU-wide licences and broader exemptions from prior authorisation will make it simpler to transfer defence products across borders and help reduce delays.
The agreement also intends to streamline defence procurement procedures for contracting authorities and industry. This will reduce administrative burden and help accelerate defence procurement.
The provisional deal introduces faster permitting for defence projects, introducing a 42-working-day deadline for permit decisions and making approval automatic if authorities do not respond in time. This will help critical defence projects move forward more quickly.
Finally, the agreement simplifies access to the European Defence Fund to improve implementation and simplify administrative requirements for applicants, in line with industry feedback. It also reduces legal uncertainty by clarifying how EU chemicals legislation applies to the defence sector.
Next steps
The Regulations will enter into the formal adoption process by the European Parliament and the Council over the coming weeks, to ensure their rapid entry into force.
Background
In June 2025, the Commission proposed the Defence Readiness Omnibus, a landmark package aligned with the White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030. Designed to foster a defence-readiness mindset across the EU, the package strengthens defence investments, enabling Member States and industry to respond rapidly and effectively to escalating security threats. The package includes three key legislative files:
A proposal for Regulation to accelerate permit-granting for defence-readiness projects.
An amending Regulation covering the European Defence Fund (EDF) and REACH chemical regulations, ensuring greater alignment with defence needs.
An amending Directive to streamline intra-EU transfers of defence products and defence procurement procedures.
For more information
Defence Readiness Omnibus – Defence Industry and Space
Quote(s)
Europe’s security depends on our ability to act decisively, and that means removing barriers to innovation, speeding up defence production, and ensuring our industries can deliver when it matters most. This agreement is a critical step toward a more sovereign, resilient Europe. By simplifying rules for the European Defence Fund, cutting delays in permit approvals, and fostering cross-border collaboration, we are not only strengthening our defence capabilities but also safeguarding our technological edge. In an era of growing threats, this is how we turn policy into action, and ensure Europe remains a leader in security and democracy.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
Today’s agreement on Defence Readiness Omnibus brings big change: Maximum 100 days to wait for defence industry permits instead of up to four years. Simpler procurement rules, smaller burdens. Small steps in rules, big steps in Defence Readiness. We will continue to defragment defence market.
Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space
EU-wide cyber exercise tests response to attacks on rail and maritime networks
Some 5,000 experts took part in an EU-wide cyber exercise on 10 and 11 June to test how Europe would respond to attacks on critical transport infrastructure. Cyber Europe 2026 was also the first EU-wide test of the 2025 EU Cyber Blueprint, which clarifies roles and responsibilities in a crisis.
Organised by the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), the exercise simulated a cyber attack on Europe’s rail and maritime networks. The scenario caused severe operational disruptions and escalated into a full-blown cybersecurity crisis. Participants included cybersecurity specialists from the public and private sectors, policymakers, EU institutions, industry and partner countries (the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland and Ukraine).
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy, said: ‘Transport is essential to our economy and daily lives, but it is also a target for cyber threats. When ports or railways are hit, effects can reach far beyond transport, disrupting trade, military mobility and crisis response. As hybrid threats blur the line between civilian and military infrastructure, preparedness is not optional. Cyber threats cross borders in seconds. Europe must be able to act just as fast, together with its closest partners.’
The exercise also tested the Cybersecurity Reserve, created under the Cyber Solidarity Act to support responses to cybersecurity incidents. The lessons from Cyber Europe 2026 will help consolidate the EU Cyber Blueprint and embed cyber crisis management into the Union’s broader emergency preparedness and response frameworks.
(For more information: Thomas Regnier – Tel. + 32 2 299 10 99; Nika Blazevic – Tel. + 32 2 299 27 17)
EU now protects over 3,700 European food and drinks with geographical indications
The European Commission has reached an important milestone with regard to the protection of European food and drinks heritage. With 13 new products joining the register today, the EU officially protects over 3,700 geographical indications (GIs) and continues to lead globally in protecting tradition, promoting sustainability, and rewarding excellence. The new GIs include products from Finland, France, Italy, Romania, Spain and Sweden.
GIs preserve Europe’s food and drink heritage and promote quality products across the EU and beyond. They protect the names of products deeply rooted in their regions, ensuring consumers can trust their origin, quality, and traditional production methods. They apply to a wide range of agricultural products, foodstuffs, wines and spirits produced in various regions.
The EU’s geographical indications include protected designation of origin, protected geographical indication and geographical indications. Well-known examples include Bayerisches Bier, Champagne, Irish Whiskey, Kalamata olives, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Polish Vodka, Queso Manchego and Roquefort cheeses. Today’s additions further strengthen a system that generates over pound 75 billion in annual sales and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs in rural communities. GIs account for around 15% of EU agri-food exports.
The updated EU GI Regulation, which entered into force in May 2024, has made registration faster and more accessible, while strengthening protections against misuse. A new step-by-step guide to GIs now helps producers navigate the application process.
You can find more information online.
(For more information: Louise Bogey – Tel.: +32 2 296 97 76; Katerina Horáková – Tel.: +32 2 299 93 10)
Commission welcomes agreement on key safeguards for the new emissions trading system for buildings and road transport
The European Parliament and Council have today reached a provisional agreement to strengthen the Market Stability Reserve (MSR) for the new emissions trading system covering buildings, road transport and additional sectors (ETS2), helping to ensure a smooth and predictable start when the system launches in 2028. It supports the implementation of the EU’s 2040 climate objectives while enhancing resilience to volatility in fossil fuel imports.
Following the Commission’s proposal, this agreement strengthens the ETS2 safeguards by enabling stronger intervention to support market price stability and reinforcing the reserve’s capacity to operate in the longer term, while preserving the environmental integrity of the system. It sends a clear signal that the EU is committed to a predictable and reliable carbon market, providing greater certainty for citizens, businesses and those investing in the transition.
Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, Wopke Hoekstra, said: ‘Climate action must not only be effective, but also fair and predictable. Today’s agreement strengthens the safeguards around the new emissions trading system for buildings and road transport, further enhancing stability and affordability for citizens and businesses, while setting us on a more predictable path toward a low-carbon future.’
The agreement on the targeted MSR changes completes a set of measures announced by the Commissioner at the October 2025 Environment Council to secure ETS2 market stability and accelerate early investments. Together with the Social Climate Fund, these measures will contribute to a fair and orderly transition towards climate neutrality. Now, this provisional agreement needs to be formally adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.
More information on the ETS2 Market Stability Reserve agreement is online.
(For more information: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tel.: +32 2 295 75 01; Ana Crespo Parrondo – Tel.: +32 2 298 13 25)
Executive Vice-President Mînzatu hosts Implementation Dialogue on supporting and empowering teachers in the EU
Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, Roxana Mînzatu, is hosting an Implementation Dialogue on supporting the teaching profession, today in Brussels.
This Dialogue aims to deepen the European Commission’s understanding of the sector in preparation for the EU Teachers and Trainers Agenda, a key component of the Union of Skills’ Education Package, which will be released later this autumn. It highlights the crucial role of education stakeholders in developing young people’s skills, critical thinking, and civic participation.
The Executive Vice-President will welcome over 20 representatives of organisations related to the teaching profession, including teachers, parents, and school leaders, as well as representatives of national and local authorities, international organisations, and sectoral social partners. Together, they will suggest priorities for EU action and initiatives supporting teachers.
The discussion will be informed by data from the first five years of the European Education Area (EEA) framework and the current Erasmus+ programming period 2021-2027. Through Erasmus+ opportunities and related initiatives, the Commission helps enhance the attractiveness of the teaching profession, promote professional developments, as well as strengthen evidence-based education policies.
Implementation Dialogues are part of the Commission’s commitment to seek feedback from society for the implementation and simplification of EU policies.
More information on the Commission’s Implementation Dialogues is available online.
(For more information: Eva Hrncirova – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Eirini Zarkadoula – Tel.: +32 2 295 70 65)
Commissioner Serafin to visit Latvia for his ‘Tour d’Europe’
As part of his ‘Tour d’Europe’ to consult Member States on the next European long-term budget (MFF), Commissioner for Budget and Administration Piotr Serafin is in Latvia this week. He will meet public authorities and beneficiaries of EU funding to witness firsthand how EU-supported initiatives are improving lives and contributing to regional development in the country.
Today, the Commissioner will visit the headquarters of Aerones Engineering, in Riga. He will observe directly the impact of EU funding on the development of robotic innovation in wind turbine maintenance.
On Friday, Commissioner Serafin will meet members of the European Affairs Committee, and of the Budget and Finance Committee of the Latvian Parliament, for an exchange of views on the next MFF. He will then meet Baiba Braže, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Rihards Kozlovskis, Minister of Transport. The Commissioner will finish his visit with a meeting with Andris Kulbergs, Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia, to notably discuss the foreseen impact of the next MFF for the country.
More information on Commissioner Serafin’s Tour d’Europe is available in its dedicated website.