European asylum and migration policy

European politicians have agreed on a reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) that they have been working on since 2015. Danish Refugee Council has followed the reform process to understand the impact it will have on asylum seekers - both in Denmark and Europe.

EU's Pact on migration and asylum - the reform of the Common European Asylum System

Despite the Danish legal reservations on EU asylum law, Denmark has joined parts of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS), such as the Dublin Regulation and the Eurodac Regulation. Due to Danish participation in the Schengen cooperation, Denmark is also bound by the Return Directive.

The CEAS was established in 1999 to ensure common standards for the reception of asylum seekers and co-operation between the EU Member States. The rules have been amended several times, most recently with the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum (EU Pact), which was finally adopted by the Member States in May 2024.

The EU Pact must be operationalized in all EU Member States from June 2026. To assist the Member States’ implementation, the European Commission has published a common implementation plan and the Member States can also get help from the EU Asylum Agency.

Will the EU Pact be implemented in Denmark?

As a continuation of the current parallel agreements, Denmark has decided to join:

The Eurodac regulation
The regulation on asylum and migration management (AMMR) that replaces the Dublin III Regulation
The regulation on crisis and force majeure

Due to the Schengen cooperation, Denmark must decide whether to join:

The new regulation on the screening procedure
The new regulation on the return procedure at the border

The Danish authorities are drafting a national implementation plan for the EU Pact that must be finalized in December 2024.

What is DRC's view on the EU Pact?

DRC has followed the reform of the Common European Asylum System, and we are concerned that the EU Pact will limit the rights of asylum seekers.

Read our press release her: Danish Refugee Council's statement on the adoption of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum

DRC provides legal representation to asylum seekers in the Dublin procedure in Denmark. During the negotiations on the EU Pact, we have thus had a special focus on the reform of the Dublin regulation that is being replaced by the regulation on asylum and migration management (AMMR).