EU interior ministers vote for stricter EU asylum laws

The EU-Innenminister decided on Monday in Brussels their positions on important parts of the EU asylum and migration pact: three regulations are intended to regulate return procedures as well Asylum procedures across the EU faster make it easier and more efficient.

This also makes the controversial return hubs outside Europe legally possible. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) spoke out again in favor of these centers before the council.

The migration transition must also succeed at the European level, Karner told journalists. The new EU asylum and migration pact, which is due to apply from mid-2026, must be designed to work: “We can do this by also enabling asylum procedures outside the European Union and return centers outside Europe,” the minister continued. He was not yet able to say when Austria would specifically take part in such return hubs: “I am very much in favor of always taking one step at a time.” After the agreements, Karner explained: “The tightening of key points in the Asylum Pact achieved today means important steps have been taken for a pan-European migration turnaround. We need to continue on this path and implement the measures consistently.”

Commission has created the possibility for return hubs

Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner said the EU Commission had created the possibility for return hubs. The return hubs in third countries, which are controversial due to human rights concerns, are part of the EU return law for faster deportations. They should only be possible in cases for which a return decision has already been issued.

The big point of discussion here is whether deportation notices issued by one EU country should also automatically apply in other member states. The aim is to ensure that asylum seekers who have been rejected in one EU country do not move on to another and apply again for the right to remain there.

According to the Council’s position adopted on Monday, the European Commission should assess the functioning of mutual recognition two years after it comes into force and, if necessary, submit a legislative proposal to make it mandatory for all member states. The regulation clarifies that a “country of return” may be a country with which an agreement or arrangement exists. These may only be concluded with a third country that respects international human rights standards and principles of international law.

Returnees will have to cooperate more closely with the authorities in the future. If you don’t do this, you will face severe consequences. This includes the reduction or cancellation of benefits or the confiscation of travel documents. Tough measures are planned for people who pose a security risk: for example, they may be subject to an entry ban of more than ten years or an indefinite entry ban. Detention can also be ordered.

Agreement on solidarity pool

The Danish presidency has reached a political agreement on the so-called solidarity pool for asylum seekers. Brunner was already “very optimistic that we will find a solution today”. It’s about “putting our European house in order.”

The sometimes controversial solidarity mechanism is intended to distribute asylum seekers more fairly among the EU states in the future. The aim is to relieve the burden on particularly affected states. In addition to taking in displaced people, the EU states can show their solidarity with financial contributions or other aid measures.

The core of the concept is the solidarity pool. The Council today confirmed the reference number for the 2026 solidarity pool: According to the Council, it amounts to 21,000 relocations or other solidarity measures or 420 million euros in financial contributions. These 2026 values ​​would take into account that the first annual migration management cycle will be implemented from June 12, 2026.

Austria was allowed to apply for an exception to the solidarity obligation because the EU Commission certified that it faced a “significant challenge” due to the migration pressure that had arisen over the past five years.

After today’s political agreement, the Council of member states still has to formally adopt it. This will happen after legal review and translation before December 31, 2025.

Council positions on safe countries of origin and third countries approved

The proposals for Council positions on safe countries of origin and third countries were approved by the ministers right at the beginning of the Council. Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco and Tunisia should be considered safe countries of origin across the EU. According to the Commission’s proposal, applications from nationals of these countries should be processed more quickly because asylum applications from these countries have little chance of success.

The proposal for more efficient asylum procedures and safe third countries is intended to make it easier for EU states to deport people to safe third countries. What is important here is the so-called connection criterion: a direct connection between the applicant and the safe third country in question should no longer be mandatory in the future.

The agreements reached today on the three Council positions clear the way for the so-called trilogue negotiations with the European Parliament. The aim is to agree on an EU law based on the respective positions and the Commission proposal.