The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency, (UNHCR) welcomed the entry into force today of the European Union’s Pact on Migration and Asylum as an opportunity to move beyond crisis-driven responses and implement a more predictable, fair and effective approach to the issues across Europe.
EU Member States should seize this moment to strengthen migration management and refugee protection while advancing solidarity and responsibility-sharing in line with European values and international obligations, the agencies’ chiefs said.
“The Pact’s entry into full effect today is an important step toward a more predictable and coherent European migration system. What matters now is steady implementation over time that is effective, humane, sustainably resourced and grounded in cooperation,” said Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration. “The priority is turning the reforms into practical results for States, communities, and people on the move,” stated in a press note of the IOM.
The Pact aims to make EU asylum systems more efficient and consistent, offering a structured framework for member state cooperation. This can reduce backlogs while maintaining the quality of assessments, provide greater certainty for asylum-seekers and enable refugees to begin rebuilding their lives and contributing to their communities sooner.
UNHCR and IOM stress that implementation will be the decisive test with these measures can help ensure that asylum processing and return procedures are faster and fairer, reducing uncertainty for asylum seekers while strengthening public confidence in the migration and asylum system.
