It was agreed yesterday, after difficult negotiations, the full European legislation on asylum and immigration. Solidarity in the “frontline” countries.

After more than three years of difficult negotiations between the member states, but also with the European Parliament A political agreement was reached between the Council and MEPs last night which will allow the EU to have comprehensive legislation on asylum and migration for the first time.

The five new regulations of the so-called Pact on Migration and Asylum concern all stages of the processfrom the screening of irregular migrants on arrival in the EU, the taking of biometric data, the submission and processing of asylum applications, the rules for determining which Member State is responsible for handling an application and solidarity in handling crisis situations.

Solidarity in the “frontline” countries

Regarding with the solidarity that is of particular interest to the so-called front line countries in the entry of immigrantssuch as Greece, the new legislation provides that when a member state faces a crisis situation it can request solidarity contributions from other EU countries. These contributions will take the form of either relocating asylum seekers from the stressed member state to contributing member states, either financial contributions or other alternative measures of solidarity.

The agreement was welcomed by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyenaccording to which the Pact will give the EU and its Member States the tools to react quickly in crisis situations.

That is, in cases where face large numbers of illegal arrivals or even the instrumentalization of Immigration by hostile countries, which deliberately attempt to destabilize the Union.

Regarding next steps, once the preparation of the legal texts is technically complete, they will be formally ratified by the Council and the European Parliamentwill be published in the Official Journal of the EU and enter into force.