Reform of asylum rules and migration policy is a priority on the EU agenda this week, as face-to-face talks are planned to take the next decisive step. On Thursday, negotiators from the Council and the European Parliament, guided by Spain which holds the rotating EU presidency, will gather in Brussels with the aim of sealing a political agreement. This package stands as one of the Twenty-Seven’s most intricate and contentious debates in eight years, drawing sharp lines between member states. Spain’s Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, underscored on Tuesday that the moment to close the deal is at hand and praised the flexible posture shown by lawmakers on both sides to push toward an accord.
He cautioned that the clock is ticking. Our teams have toiled, and there is no alternative but to secure a consensus, he stated on Tuesday. Following the last EU Interior Ministers’ Council, chaired by Spain, he described the current moment as crucial and opportunistic, urging strong momentum to finalize the pact soon. The collective goal is clear: a completed agreement that can guide the reform agenda through to its final adoption. For more context, the reform was first presented by the European Commission in September 2020 and remains among the commission’s top political priorities, even as broad agreement has remained elusive due to diverging views on responsibility sharing versus solidarity. Several member states have resisted expanding asylum and refugee intake, which has slowed progress on a seven-part legislative package, five of which still await resolution. The motto remains that nothing is settled until everything is settled. [Citation: European Commission, 2020 roadmap and subsequent negotiation records]
marathon negotiation
The objective for Thursday is to achieve a political agreement after a full day of negotiations, with the aim of paving the way for formal adoption before the current legislative session ends in April 2024. The EU will move forward under a limited work program as it shifts to Belgium in hosting duties, and negotiators anticipate only a brief window to finalize outstanding issues. If any items remain unresolved after Thursday’s talks, a final push could occur during an additional tripartite session slated for 18 December. [Citation: EU negotiation timeline summaries, 2023-2024]
Grande-Marlaska expressed confidence that there is little gap remaining. He noted that while some concerns linger for a subset of the 27 members, a point of unity should be reachable. He remained cautiously optimistic that the deal could be concluded within the week, while acknowledging that achieving agreement may still be challenging in the near term. The assurance reflects a common understanding that compromise is possible even when differences persist. [Citation: European Council statements and press briefings]
Among the most sensitive issues still to be resolved are border procedures for unaccompanied minors and families, protections for nationals of specific countries, and the definition of what constitutes a safe country. These topics are highly technical and require careful calibration of small but meaningful details to unlock agreement. Five regulations remain on the table and await final approval. The most advanced item is the Eurodac regulation, which seeks to establish a centralized migration database containing data on asylum decisions and returns. The other four regulations carry lighter but still significant implications for alignment across member states. [Citation: Eurodac framework discussions and EU migration policy notes]