Ministry of the Interior publishes weekly series of articles on the Pact on Migration and Asylum

The Ministry of the Interior publishes weekly articles as part of a series of columns dedicated to examining the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum from different perspectives.

The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum is set to enter into force in summer 2026 and constitutes a major comprehensive reform for all EU Member States. It envisages common rules for managing migration, with the aim of uniform application of the system across all EU countries. In practice, procedures will be clearer and more efficient from examination of an application to removal from a country. All persons entering illegally or seeking international protection will be screened, and those who are not in need of protection, pose a threat or will mislead the authorities will be redirected to a mandatory border procedure. 

The streamlined rules for assessing applications for international protection and decision-making will ensure rapid and timely processing while strengthening the applicants’ rights.

For Finland, these changes will require legislative changes and significant adjustments in the authorities’ operations. The number of national legislative provisions will be reduced as overlapping with EU law but supplemented when necessary. The new procedures will particularly apply to border control, asylum and return.

Information systems, such as the Aliens’ Case Management System (UMA), account for a significant workload in view of developments to meet the new requirements.

On 16 April 2026, the government submitted to the Parliament a proposal for legislative changes to implement the Pact.