EU Migration and Asylum Pact takes effect across all member states

From 12 June 2026 the EU Migration and Asylum Pact is fully applied in every EU member state. The new framework introduces stricter external‑border controls, faster and more uniform asylum procedures, and a revised return system for people without protection. A mandatory pre‑screening at external borders will verify identity, security and health status of third‑country nationals, with biometric data collected and stored in an expanded Europol‑run "Eurodac" database. The pact also establishes a solidarity‑responsibility mechanism requiring front‑line countries to share the burden through migrant relocation, financial contributions or operational assistance.

Bulgaria, now part of Schengen and a key frontier nation, has prepared its police and border services for the new screening and faster case handling. Officials say the measures aim to cut illegal crossings, which the Commission reports have already dropped by 55 % compared with two years earlier, and to reduce the backlog of asylum applications across the bloc.