EU Migration Pact enters force today, overhauling asylum rules as Ireland begins screening and Spain offers legal status to 500,000
The EU's Migration and Asylum Pact, a decade in the making, comes into force today, introducing tighter border checks and faster asylum procedures. Spain concurrently offers a path to legal status for up to 500,000 undocumented migrants.
The EU's migration overhaul
The pact, agreed in 2020 after the 2015 migration crisis, comprises 10 pieces of legislation designed to speed up asylum decisions, harmonize border screenings, and introduce a compulsory solidarity mechanism among member states. It aims to reduce irregular arrivals and limit the number of applicants who fall off the radar. Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner told reporters last week that the bloc must "give the people the feeling back that we have control over what's happening."
- Over one million people seek protection in Europe, mainly from Syria
- Attempted overhaul of EU asylum rules stalls
- European Commission launches a more ambitious migration pact effort
- Member states and European Parliament adopt the pact
- EU Migration and Asylum Pact comes into force
Ireland's new screening system
Under the International Protection Act 2026, Ireland will screen applicants at a dedicated centre in Citywest. A 10-month transition project processed 2,272 applications, including 411 minors. The process includes security, identity, health, and vulnerability checks, with a target of seven days for screening and a six-month timeframe for standard case decisions. Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan called the Act "an important milestone in ensuring the integrity and efficiency of the asylum process."
- Total applications
- 2272 applications
- Unaccompanied minors
- 411 applications
Unaccompanied minors contract
AllPro Services, which received €24.2 million last year for refugee accommodation, secured a contract to provide state representatives for unaccompanied minors at ports. A representative must be present within 60 minutes of a minor being reported, with a starting salary of €40,000. The department said staff are "in place" as the pact takes effect.
Criticism from rights groups
The Irish Refugee Council's Nick Henderson said the pact "prioritises expediency and fast-tracking over the rights and needs of the individual," arguing it will rush people through with little access to legal advice. Opposition parties in Ireland echo those concerns, while Sinn Féin objects that joining the pact undermines national sovereignty. Across the EU, far-right parties say the rules do not go far enough, and refugee organisations warn of insufficient safeguards.
Spain's separate path
Separately, Spain is launching a plan to legalize up to 500,000 undocumented migrants who meet residency requirements, aiming to fill labour shortages and boost tax revenues. Critics warn the move could strain public services, but for migrants like Luna Jayat, it offers a path out of the shadows and into formal employment.
