EU migration and asylum policy
The EU's migration and asylum policy aims to manage migration effectively, ensure fair responsibility-sharing between member states and protect the rights of people seeking international protection.
How the EU manages migration and asylum
The EU has developed a common approach to migration and asylum through the pact on migration and asylum, which establishes common rules covering asylum, migration management, border procedures and solidarity between member states. The pact aims to ensure more effective and uniform procedures while balancing responsibility and solidarity across the EU.
The European Council sets the EU's strategic priorities on migration, while the Council of the EU adopts EU legislation and provides mandates for negotiations with non-EU countries. The Council of the EU also works with member states on implementing the pact and on other aspects of migration policy, including legal migration, returns and cooperation with countries outside the EU.
Pagt om migration og asyl
Legal pathways to the EU
People come to the EU through a range of legal pathways, including for work, study and family reunification. In 2025, EU countries issued around 3.9 million first residence permits to non-EU citizens. The EU also supports resettlement and other safe and legal pathways for people in need of international protection.
The EU has common rules for some areas of legal migration, including labour migration. For example, the single permit allows non-EU workers to obtain the right to work and stay in an EU member state through a single application.
Number of irregular arrivals in the EU
Data up to September 2026, covering arrivals via the routes shown below.
Bar chart showing annual irregular border crossings detected along the Central Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean, Western Mediterranean, Western African, Western Balkan and Eastern border routes, and other routes, from 2015 to September 2026. According to Frontex figures, detections fell from 1 822 102 in 2015 to 179 855 in 2025. The 2026 figure covers January to September only.
Notes: The graph represents the total number of irregular border crossings.
Due to their exceptional nature, figures for the Western route exclude arrivals in Ceuta on 17 and 18 May 2021 and between 30 and 31 July 2026.
Migration routes: where do migrants and refugees come from?
People arriving irregularly in the EU may travel via different routes, depending on their country of origin, their starting point and other circumstances.
There are three main migratory routes: the Eastern Mediterranean route, the Central Mediterranean route and Western routes.
One additional temporary route was created from Ukraine since Russia launched a military aggression in February 2022.
Irregular migration to the EU: routes, facts and figures
Returns of people with no right to stay in the EU
The EU is strengthening its common approach to returns. EU rules establish common procedures for returning people who have no right to stay in the EU, including obligations to cooperate with national authorities.
They also introduce a European return order and open the possibility for member states to establish return hubs in non-EU countries, subject to safeguards and respect for fundamental rights. The rules complement the pact on migration and asylum and will contribute to its implementation.
Seneste gennemgang: 13. oktober 2026
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