A new EU resettlement framework
The new framework provides for the adoption of a two-year EU resettlement and humanitarian admission plan to help member states resettle people across the EU.
Replacing ad-hoc resettlement schemes
In 2016 the European Commission proposed to establishing a permanent framework and harmonised procedure for resettlement across the EU, to replace the existing ad-hoc resettlement schemes.
The EU resettlement framework aims to:
- provide legal and safe pathways to the EU and reduce the risk of large numbers of irregular arrivals in the long term
- establish common rules for resettlement and humanitarian admission
- contribute to global resettlement and humanitarian admission initiatives
- support non-EU countries hosting many people in need of international protection
EU resettlement plan
Within the new framework, the Council will adopt a two-year EU resettlement and humanitarian admission plan based on a Commission proposal.
This plan will include:
the maximum total number of persons to be admitted
details about member states' participation and their share of that number
the overall geographical priorities
Work on the migration and asylum pact
In November 2017, the Council agreed its position for the start of negotiations with the Parliament on the proposal for an EU resettlement framework. Negotiations with the Parliament were finalised in 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)
- Regulation establishing a Union resettlement framework, 9 February 2024
- Asylum and migration reform: EU member states’ representatives green light deal with European Parliament (press release, 8 February 2024)
- EU resettlement framework: Council ready to start negotiations (press release, 15 November 2017)
See also
Last review: 8 December 2025