The Pact on Migration and Asylum created an effective European system of solidarity and responsibility to manage asylum and migration in a fair, firm and efficient way. The EU system now includes a mandatory, flexible and needs-based ‘solidarity mechanism’ to ensure Member States facing migratory pressure are not left alone, superseding the pre-existing voluntary system.
The system also includes clearer criteria to determine the Member State responsible for assessing an asylum application as well as quicker and more efficient rules and procedures to deal with cases where asylum applicants move in an unauthorised way from one Member State to another, including on transfers back of applicants.
Permanent solidarity mechanism
The mandatory, permanent solidarity mechanism ensures that EU Member States facing migratory pressure receive the support they need. The European Commission assesses which Member States are under migratory pressure, to determine which Member States are eligible to receive support from the ‘Solidarity Pool’. Each Member State contributes in a flexible way, choosing how it wishes to pledge to the Solidarity Pool.
Yearly assessment of the migratory situation and solidarity cycle
For its annual assessment, the Commission takes into account a series of indicators, collected by Eurostat and the EU agencies, such as the number of people disembarked following search and rescue operations, the number of applications for international protection, the number of people subject to the border procedure, the number of beneficiaries of temporary protection, as well as situations of migrant instrumentalisation and trends of unauthorised movements. The assessment is included in the Annual Asylum and Migration Report which is presented and discussed with the EU Member States via the EU Mechanism for preparedness and management of crisis related to Migration (the Blueprint Network).
The Solidarity Pool
Based on its assessment, the Commission sets out a proposal for the annual Solidarity Pool in the form of a proposal for a Council Implementing Act, with the numbers of relocations and financial solidarity contributions required for the upcoming year. As a minimum, the Commission has to propose 30 000 relocations and EUR 600 million in financial contributions at EU level per year.
Based on the Commission’s proposal, Member States have to pledge their concrete solidarity contributions. These solidarity contributions can take the form of relocations, financial contributions or alternative solidarity measures (meaning staff and in-kind support). All Member States are obliged to contribute on the basis of their fair share, calculated based on their GDP and population size, but they have full discretion to choose among the three types of solidarity measures or a combination of those. This is discussed in the ‘High-Level EU Solidarity Forum’, consisting of the representatives of the Member States and chaired by the Member State holding the Presidency of the Council.
By the end of each year, the Council of the EU should agree on the size of the pool and on how each Member State will contribute according to its fair share. Once the Council adopts its decision on the Solidarity Pool, the Member States' solidarity contributions are public and legally binding.
As a result, Member States receive support along the following lines:
- Member States under migratory pressure can receive support in the form of relocations of applicants and beneficiaries of international protection to other Member States, financial contributions or alternative solidarity measures (i.e. staff and in-kind support). Once they access the Solidarity Pool and become a benefiting Member State, they do not have to implement their own solidarity pledge.
- Member States facing a significant migratory situation can only benefit from a partial or full deduction of their pledged solidarity contributions if this is granted by the Council.
- A Member State that has not been identified as being under migratory pressure or facing a significant migratory situation, but considers that it is experiencing such a situation, may notify its need to make use of the Solidarity Pool or request a partial or full deduction of its pledged contribution. In such cases, the Member State may request the Commission to carry out a reassessment on the basis of a duly substantiated request. The first European Asylum and Migration Report was adopted on 11 November 2025, following which the Council adopted the implementing decision on 23 December 2025.
In times of crisis, the Crisis and force majeure Regulation provides for enhanced solidarity compared to the framework set out in the Asylum and Migration Management Regulation.
Operationalisation of the Solidarity Pool
Day-to-day operations of the solidarity mechanism are ensured through the Technical-Level Solidarity Forum, convened and chaired by the EU Solidarity Coordinator on behalf of the Commission. The Forum meets regularly to operationalise the solidarity mechanism and address identified solidarity needs with the available contributions. The Solidarity Coordinator coordinates this process and oversees the operationalisation of the Pool, in cooperation with the Member States and relevant EU agencies.
More information on the 15 June 2026 Technical-Level EU Solidarity Forum meeting, including the meeting minutes, can be found here.
Compliance and responsibility under the solidarity cycle
- Only Member States with well-prepared systems can be eligible to receive support from the solidarity pool or deductions to their solidarity obligations.
- If a Member State does not comply with its solidarity obligations, the Commission may recover outstanding financial contributions. In addition, where systemic shortcomings are identified, other Member States may be relieved from implementing solidarity measures towards that Member State.
- Where relocation pledges to the Annual Solidarity Pool reach at least 50% of the number proposed by the Commission, benefitting Member States may request responsibility offsets instead of relocations. Contributing Member States may also voluntarily offer such offsets under certain conditions.
- If the relocation pledges fall below the minimum levels required under the legislation, responsibility offsets become mandatory. In practice, this means that contributing Member States must take responsibility for examining a certain number of applications for international protection for which the benefitting Member State would otherwise have been responsible.
- Ultimately, if Member States do not comply with the rules, the Commission can make use of its powers under the Treaty (infringements).
Responsibility for processing asylum applications
The EU migration and asylum system establishes criteria and rules for determining the Member State responsible for assessing an asylum application. Applicants should remain in the territory of the Member State where they applied unless instructed otherwise by the competent authorities.
Priority is given to preserving family unity and protecting the best interests of children. Responsibility may also lie with the Member State that issued a visa or residence permit, where the applicant recently obtained a diploma or qualification, or through which they first entered the EU irregularly or legally.
If none of these criteria apply, the Member State where the asylum application was first registered is usually responsible for examining it.
If the applicant absconds and goes to another Member State that is not responsible for assessing an asylum application based on these criteria, they can be sent back through a simpler and faster process.
If an applicant does not remain in the Member States in charge of assessing the asylum application, this can have important negative consequences. For instance, full reception support is normally provided only in the Member State responsible for the application; in another Member State, only basic needs are covered.