EU migration and home affairs policy overview

June 30, 2025

Illustration of the war in Ukraine — Image: © linephoto | iStock

Open Access Government outlines the European Commission’s migration and home affairs policies. This includes discussions on the Pact on Migration and Asylum, the hosting of refugees from Ukraine, the fourth State of Schengen report, and the new European Internal Security Strategy

The Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME) is the department of the European Commission responsible for border management, internal security and migration. Under the leadership of Commissioner Magnus Brunner, DG HOME collaborates closely with European Union (EU) Member States, agencies, international organisations, and other stakeholders to implement and develop effective EU policies.

To create a safer and more secure Union, both online and offline, DG HOME’s work in internal security focuses on preventing radicalisation, organised crime and countering terrorism, protecting critical infrastructure and public spaces, and combating cybercrime and child sexual abuse.

DG HOME oversees the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, working with Member States to manage migration, establish legal pathways, and develop a unified approach to returns. DG HOME is implementing an integrated border management strategy for the EU to strengthen common borders, enhancing border security to ensure a fully functional Schengen area.⁽¹⁾

The Pact on Migration and Asylum and hosting refugees from Ukraine

On April 16, 2025, the Commission proposed accelerating the implementation of certain aspects of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, set to take effect in June 2026. The proposal aims to expedite two key elements of the Asylum Procedure Regulation to help Member States process asylum claims more efficiently, particularly for those likely to be unfounded.

Additionally, the Commission plans to establish an EU list of safe countries of origin, allowing faster processing of applications from their nationals. EU candidate countries may qualify as safe, given their efforts to achieve democratic stability and human rights protections. However, they could be excluded under certain conditions, such as conflict-related violence or higher than 20% asylum recognition rates across the EU. This proposal is informed by analysis from the EU Agency for Asylum and other sources. ⁽²⁾

On May 9, 2025, the Commission approved an additional €3 billion to assist Member States in implementing the Pact on Migration and Asylum and hosting Ukrainian refugees. This funding includes €1.8 billion from the revised Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and €1.2 billion from the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Border Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI).

This new allocation complements nearly €11 billion designated for migration and border management from 2025 to 2027 and €450 million for Member States hosting temporary protection beneficiaries from Ukraine since 2022. The support is available until the end of 2027, with specific amounts allocated to each Member State based on eligibility criteria. Member States must also update their national programs by the end of 2025 to include this funding, and the Commission is in close contact to provide necessary support.

“We need to be ready for the application of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, in June next year, a key milestone for the EU. I am happy that today the EU is providing an additional substantial support to help Member States getting ready for the Pact, and hosting and providing protection to refugees from Ukraine,” Commissioner Brunner said.⁽³⁾

Fourth State of Schengen report

On April 23, 2025, the Commission published its fourth State of Schengen report, reviewing the past year’s developments and setting priorities for the following year.

Over the past 40 years, the Schengen area has become essential to the EU, benefiting almost 450 million citizens and driving economic growth. In 2024, it welcomed over half a billion visitors, reaffirming its status as the world’s most visited destination. With EU support, the Schengen system allows Member States to manage external borders, security, and migration effectively.

The 2025 report highlights the achievements and challenges within Schengen since 2024. The accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen area enhances EU cooperation and strengthens the economy. Additionally, all EU candidate countries must establish fully functioning national Schengen governance systems to join. Recent EU efforts have reduced irregular crossings at Schengen’s external borders to around 240,000, the lowest since 2021.

“Today, Schengen is a living testament to Europe’s commitment to a free, united, prosperous, and safe continent. As the world’s largest and most popular area of free movement, we must step up our efforts to further develop, reinforce and modernise Schengen. That means improving security cooperation between law enforcement in Member States, accelerating digitalisation of border management systems such as the Entry-Exit system to prevent security risks and ensure more effective returns,” Commissioner Brunner said.

Moving forward, the Commission will work with Member States to adapt Schengen to new realities and address remaining challenges, focusing on improving policy coordination, police cooperation, and the digitalisation of procedures to enhance security. ⁽⁴⁾

ProtectEU: European Internal Security Strategy

On April 1, 2025, the European Commission unveiled ProtectEU, a strategy to enhance internal security across Member States and ensure citizen safety. This initiative includes a stronger legal framework, improved information sharing, and increased cooperation.

Given the changing security landscape marked by hybrid threats from hostile foreign states and the rise of organised crime and online criminal activity, Europe must reassess its internal security approach.

ProtectEU promotes a cultural shift by engaging researchers, businesses, citizens, and civil society in security efforts. It also aims to integrate security considerations into new initiatives, supported by a robust governance framework.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated that safety is a fundamental requirement for open, vibrant societies and a thriving economy. This is why the Commission has launched a significant initiative to more effectively address security threats such as terrorism, organised crime, increasing cybercrime, and attacks on our critical infrastructure.

“We will strengthen Europol and give law enforcement up-to-date tools to fight crime. But also researchers, businesses and even citizens can contribute to greater safety for all,” President von der Leyen continued.⁽⁵⁾

The road ahead for DG HOME

We wish the dedicated team at DG HOME great success as they tackle the challenges and opportunities presented by the 2024-2029 period. ⁽⁶⁾ This time will be crucial for advancing key migration and home affairs policies, underscoring the EU’s commitment to internal security, the Pact on Migration and Asylum, strengthening common borders and ensuring that the Schengen area is complete and fully functional. ⁽¹⁾