ICMPD backs EU Migration Pact rollout for member states

By AI, Created 2:30 PM UTC, May 21, 2026, /AGP/ – ICMPD says it is helping EU member states prepare for and implement the bloc’s new Migration and Asylum Pact, which began rolling out this month. The work covers legal alignment, procedures, training and readiness tests in several countries as the EU pushes for coordinated migration rules.

Why it matters: - The EU Migration and Asylum Pact is one of the bloc’s biggest migration policy reforms. - Member states need aligned laws, procedures and systems to apply the pact consistently from day one. - ICMPD’s support is aimed at reducing implementation gaps in asylum, border screening, solidarity mechanisms and protections for vulnerable people.

What happened: - ICMPD said it is supporting EU member states as the pact enters official roll-out. - The organization worked with countries on National Implementation Plans and is now helping align national systems and procedures with pact requirements. - The work is being delivered through the EU Technical Support Instrument in cooperation with the European Commission. - The pact was adopted in 2024. - ICMPD said the official roll-out of the pact began on 12 June. - Last month, ICMPD helped Romania run a large-scale simulation exercise to test readiness for migrant arrivals. - More than 200 representatives took part, including Romanian authorities, EU agencies, international organizations, civil society and other EU member states.

The details: - In Czechia, ICMPD developed materials to improve the asylum procedure, with a focus on country of origin information in appeals cases. - Exchange with Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg informed the Czech work on appeals processes. - In Estonia, ICMPD helped refine workflows for assessing vulnerabilities among applicants for international protection. - Training materials in Estonia covered unaccompanied and separated children, trafficking victims and applicants with health-related needs. - In Ireland, ICMPD helped develop standard operating procedures and training materials on screening and border procedures. - The Ireland project also aimed to improve interoperability and information exchange between Irish and Schengen systems. - In Lithuania, ICMPD supported border-management improvements tied to situational awareness, coordination and staff capacity. - Study visits to Finland and Poland in the Lithuania project focused on personnel development, strategic human resources, training governance, competence-based curricula, quality assurance, information management, risk analysis and inter-agency coordination. - In Romania, ICMPD supported legal alignment with the pact through primary and secondary legislative changes. - Romania also worked on standard operating procedures to clarify procedural steps, institutional roles and coordination between authorities. - ICMPD also supported Romania in establishing an Independent Monitoring Mechanism with the Romanian Ombudsperson’s Office.

Between the lines: - The projects show the pact’s rollout is not only a legal exercise but also an operational one. - The focus on training, simulation and monitoring suggests the EU wants national systems to be tested before full-scale implementation. - ICMPD is positioning itself as a technical bridge between Brussels and member-state administrations during a politically sensitive policy shift.

What’s next: - ICMPD said it will keep supporting member states as they move from planning to implementation. - The organization said it will continue providing evidence, analysis, policy input and knowledge exchange on the pact’s main pillars. - Raab said the 12 June roll-out is a starting point for continued work on gaps, capacity building and coordination.

The bottom line: - The EU has started one of its most ambitious migration policy rollouts, and ICMPD is helping member states turn the pact’s rules into workable national systems.