Von der Leyen Urges Intensified Efforts to Implement Migration Pact by 2026

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for intensified efforts to implement the Pact on Migration and Asylum by June 2026.

In a letter to EU member state leaders, von der Leyen emphasized that the adoption of the Pact has reshaped EU policy on asylum, migration, and border management.

The European Commission has allocated €3 billion from internal affairs funds, as well as €1.6 billion from the mid-term review of national programs, to support these efforts.

The Commission has proposed creating a list of safe countries of origin, including Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Bangladesh, Colombia, India, and Kosovo.

According to von der Leyen, the first half of 2025 saw a 21% decrease in illegal border crossings into the EU compared to 2024. However, over 69,000 illegal crossings were recorded by mid-June.

In the Eastern Mediterranean, arrivals decreased by almost a third compared to last year. Full implementation of the EU-Turkey joint statement and the EU-Turkey readmission agreement remains essential.