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The European Union will begin the gradual implementation of the new Pact on Migration and Asylum on June 12, a broad reform that aims to strengthen external border control, speed up the processing of asylum applications and create a more coordinated system among member states.
At the heart of the reform are two main measures: mandatory checks on all persons who enter EU territory irregularly and faster procedures for examining asylum applications, with clearly defined deadlines.
The Greek government has hailed the pact as a more effective response to the challenges of migration. Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum, Thanos Plevris, stated that the new framework strengthens the protection of European borders and improves return procedures for people who do not meet the conditions for international protection.
He warned that Greece is ready to take even stronger measures if the migratory pressure continues to increase. Referring to the recent influx to Crete, where around 600 migrants arrived in one day, Plevris said that the authorities will not allow a repeat of situations similar to the 2015 migration crisis.
One of the key elements of the pact is prior border checks. Any person entering the EU irregularly will be subject to identity verification, health and security checks, and biometric data registration before being considered officially registered.
The new Eurodac system will play an important role, as it will collect more biometric data and enable more accurate monitoring of migrant movements within European Union countries.
According to the head of the Greek Asylum Service and chairman of the EUAA board, Marios Kaleas, Greece is better prepared than in the past to implement the new mechanism. He emphasizes that the country has built a more organized system for the reception, identification and management of migratory flows, although challenges related to personnel, technology and institutional coordination remain.
The pact also aims to significantly reduce delays in processing asylum applications. Cases deemed unfounded will be processed through accelerated procedures and could be completed within 12 weeks. During this period, applicants can stay in controlled centres near the borders until a decision is made.
However, the reform has sparked debate at the European level. Human rights organizations warn that the short deadlines could lead to hasty decision-making, while European institutions argue that the current system has created huge delays and undermined the functioning of asylum procedures.
Meanwhile, the issue of burden-sharing among member states remains open. Frontline states, such as Greece, Italy, Spain, Malta and Cyprus, are expected to continue to face the bulk of migratory flows due to their geographical location.
According to Greek authorities, the new Pact will not immediately solve all migration problems in Europe, but it creates a more stable and predictable framework for managing them in the future.
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