Better reception conditions
Revised rules should ensure adequate standards of living and comparable living conditions and help reduce secondary movements for all applicants in all EU member states.
Provide standard reception conditions
The first main objective of the legislative proposal is to provide standard reception conditions to all asylum seekers. This will ensure that asylum applicants benefit from better and comparable living conditions across the EU.
The proposed rules set out:
a common definition of reception conditions for all asylum seekers
the right to work for asylum seekers no later than nine months after lodging their application
education rights for minors and the need to appoint guardians for unaccompanied minors
Reduce secondary movements
The second main objective of the draft directive is to reduce secondary movements of asylum applicants by setting up geographical limitations. The draft rules aim to:
- restrict access to reception conditions to the member state responsible for their asylum application
- limit the provision of travel documents except on serious humanitarian grounds
- allow member states to restrict the applicant's presence to a specific geographical area
Work on the migration and asylum pact
In November 2017, EU ambassadors agreed on a mandate for negotiations on the draft rules. Negotiations with the Parliament were finalised in December 2022.
On 8 February 2024, EU member states' representatives endorsed the deal reached between the Council and the Parliament in 2022.
The Council adopted the EU's pact on migration and asylum on 14 May 2024.
In December 2025, the Council reached a political agreement on the establishment of the annual solidarity pool for 2026. The solidarity pool is one of the main elements of the EU’s Pact on Migration and Asylum and provides effective support to those member states that are under migratory pressure.
- Migration and asylum: Member states agree on solidarity pool (press release, 8 December 2025)
- The Council adopts the EU's pact on migration and asylum (press release, 14 May 2024)
- Reception conditions directive, 9 February 2024
- Asylum and migration reform: EU member states’ representatives green light deal with European Parliament (press release, 8 February 2024)
- Reception conditions for asylum applicants: Council agrees mandate for negotiations (press release, 29 November 2017)
See also
Last review: 10 December 2025