What is the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum?

Migration is a complex issue that demands compassionate, equitable, and sensitive handling, but it has increasingly been used as a political weapon, and the Pact has been subject to disinformation campaigns.

The Pact addresses shortcomings in EU Migration policy that emerged over the past decade but it is sometimes deliberately misrepresented as a threat to national sovereignty or security.

The reasons why the Pact is necessary are clear. The number of people forcibly displaced by global conflict and violence has increased every year for the past 12 years, reaching over 117 million by 2023.

Previous migration rules have left frontline Member States like Greece, Italy and Spain struggling to process tens of thousands of migrants arriving on their shores seeking asylum.

Additionally, limited legal migration pathways, ineffective return processes and a lack of solidarity between Member States have enabled the exploitation of migrants by people smuggling networks.

The new Pact will strengthen border security, streamline asylum procedures and allow Member States to choose between accepting asylum seekers or providing financial and operational support.

EU Pact on Migration and Asylum 

Questions and answers on the Pact

The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum in Ireland

Ireland officially opted into the Pact on June 27, 2024, following a vote in both houses of the Oireachtas. While the Pact is legally in effect, Ireland, along with other EU countries, has until June 12, 2026, to fully implement the new regulations.

Meanwhile, disinformation surrounding the Pact is being used to manipulate public opinion by amplifying fears and distorting facts about migration.

Most of this disinformation is spread online through social media platforms and messaging groups and it includes fabricated stories about migrants committing crimes and wild, unfounded conspiracy theories.

This disinformation is often designed to incite public anger, and in Ireland it has resulted in a number of violent protests and arson attacks on properties believed to be housing migrants.

Disinformation campaigns about the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum often frame asylum seekers as an ‘existential threat’ to Irish society. However, these campaigns are usually politically motivated and used to sow confusion and division within Irish communities.

EU migration policy and Ireland 

Dispelling EU Pact on Migration and Asylum myths

Several myths about the Pact in Ireland are fuelled by disinformation, which involves deliberately spreading false information, and misinformation, which is false information shared by someone who is simply misinformed.

Here are some common myths:

Myth 1: The Pact will force Ireland to accept more migrants

Fact: Ireland will participate in the Pact’s solidarity mechanism, which allows flexibility in how it contributes to managing migration. Member States, including Ireland, can choose between accepting asylum seekers or providing financial and operational support to other Member States. All Member States have to contribute in some way, but there is no obligation to accept a minimum number of migrants.

Myth 2: Ireland is full and the Pact will worsen the housing crisis

Fact: Ireland’s housing crisis is caused by undersupply, not migration. Asylum seekers are housed in direct provision centres or emergency shelters, which are not suitable for long-term housing, and they are not entitled to State housing. Ireland receives EU funding through the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) that can be used to find accommodation solutions for asylum seekers, such as expanding state-owned facilities and upgrading existing accommodation.

Myth 3: The Pact will erase Ireland’s sovereignty 

Fact: The Pact is about balancing national sovereignty with shared responsibility within the EU framework. It ensures solidarity among EU Member States, preventing any single country from being overwhelmed. Ireland retains control over exactly how it manages migration, and by participating gains access to EU funding and support to help in doing so.

Myth 4: The Pact will result in open borders 

Fact: No country in the world, including Ireland, has an open border but this piece of misinformation is often spread on social media. In reality, the Pact will strengthen Europe’s borders and create a more structured and fairer system for managing migration across the EU. Fears that it will lead to an uncontrolled or sudden increase in migration are totally unfounded.

Myth 5: The Pact will force Ireland to take in unvetted migrants

Fact: All migrants - and asylum seekers in particular - already go through vetting procedures in Ireland, and these are strengthened by the Pact. All asylum seekers undergo mandatory screening upon arrival that includes identity verification, biometric data collection, health checks, and security screenings using national and EU databases like Eurodac to identify potential security risks or previous asylum applications.

Myth 6: Ireland doesn’t need migrants

Fact: Ireland and Europe’s population is ageing rapidly and migrants are essential to filling labour gaps in sectors like healthcare, construction, hospitality, and domestic work. The Centre for European Reform (CER) argues that immigration from outside the EU is necessary, otherwise countries may face difficult choices such as raising retirement ages or cutting welfare benefits. The Pact creates legal migration pathways, including an EU Talent Pool of skilled workers that can match migrants with labour market needs in EU countries. 

Myth 7: The Pact will make it harder to return asylum applicants whose claims have been rejected 

Fact: Asylum seekers in Ireland currently wait around 80 weeks for their claims to be processed. If their claim is rejected they could start an appeal process, which can take over a year to complete. Under the Pact’s accelerated procedure system, asylum seekers in certain categories will have their cases processed within 12 weeks. Any appeals will typically be completed within eight weeks. If their claim is rejected, they will be immediately transferred to the return process and returned to their country of origin or another safe third country as efficiently as possible. The Pact includes safeguards to protect vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and unaccompanied minors. 

European Union against disinformation 

Tackling online disinformation 

Migration facts

• According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), by the end of 2023, 117.3 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, and other events. This represents an 8% increase from 2022.
• 58% of those forcibly displaced remained within their own countries as internally displaced persons (IDPs). By the end of 2023, there were 68.3 million IDPs globally.
• The majority of refugees do not seek refuge in Europe. In fact, 70% of refugees move to neighbouring countries rather than crossing into Europe.
• In 2023, more than 1.14 million first-time asylum seekers applied for international protection in the EU, marking an 18% increase compared to 2022. Germany, Spain, France, and Italy were the main destinations for these applicants.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Forced Displacement Global Trends report