Explainers

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.

An overview of the yearly irregular arrivals and fatalities (2014-2026). Discover more in our infographic.

Find out the yearly and monthly figures for irregular arrivals to the EU along its main routes: Central, Eastern and Western.

The EU has common rules for asylum procedures. Find out how asylum applications are handled, what rights and obligations asylum seekers have and how safe countries are considered.

EU rules set standards for the reception of asylum seekers, requiring member states to ensure adequate living conditions, protect applicants' rights and help reduce secondary movements.

EU screening rules ensure that people arriving at the EU's external borders are identified, undergo the necessary checks and are quickly referred to the appropriate asylum or return procedure.

EU rules set common criteria for granting asylum, or international protection, in the EU. They define who can qualify for refugee or subsidiary protection status and the rights of people granted protection.

EU rules provide exceptional measures, flexibility and solidarity when situations of crisis or force majeure put pressure on member states' migration and asylum systems.

Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU has taken a number of steps to help refugees fleeing the war, including through the EU temporary protection mechanism.

The EU and its member states have taken a number of measures to address the migration situation on the Eastern Mediterranean route and to support refugees in Türkiye.