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Reform Support

On-the-ground support to Member States for implementing the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum

Following the entry into force of the Pact on Migration and Asylum and the adoption by the Communication of the ‘Common Implementation Plan for the Pact on Migration and Asylum’(CIP) on the 12th June, DG REFORM launched a Dedicated Call to offer Member States tailor-made technical expertise to prepare their National Implementation Plans (NIPs) under the Pact on Migration and Asylum. 

Nine Member States applied under the Call, and will receive hands-on support from experts with knowledge of the national legal framework and system, as well as from international experts with knowledge of relevant practices in other countries. Where needed, support will also cover general coordination assistance to consolidate contributions into the NIP as well as future governance models to ensure NIP implementation.  

Support in detail:

  • Belgium

    The Commission will support Belgium in the following building block of the National Implementation Plan (NIP): Horizontal: New safeguards for applicants for international protection and vulnerable persons, and increased monitoring of fundamental rights

    The support measures will encompass: an “AS-IS” analysis, an identification of gaps (“Gap Analysis”), identification of what needs to be done to close the gaps (“TO-BE” analysis), and the production of recommendations only related to the Belgian guardianship service
    The above-mentioned analyses and relevant recommendations will cover all the areas as requested in the Common Implementation Plan, namely: legislative/regulatory arrangements, personnel (staffing and training), infrastructure, IT needs, costing and procurement needs. Lastly, the support provided will also need to cover consultation and coordination of input from relevant stakeholders under this thematic area.

  • Czech Republic

    The Commission will provide general and horizontal support to the Czech Republic with project management expertise to support drafting of the National Implementation Plan (e.g. methodological support to gather data, stakeholder engagement strategy, time planning, etc). In addition, the Commission will thematically support two building blocks of NIP development, namely: 

    A common migration and asylum information system (Eurodac): The support measures will encompass an AS-IS analysis of necessary requirements for interconnecting the national asylum information system (Azyl III) with the Pact’s Eurodac. This could entail analysis of current operations, identification of main pain points, improvement of SOPs, recommendations for a single point for centralizing asylum data (i.e. data warehouse) 

    Fair, efficient, and convergent asylum procedures: The support measures will encompass an AS-IS analysis and recommendations to tackle gaps and existing bottlenecks in the second instance of asylum (Judicial review). The support will also benchmark against best EU practices focusing on how to best modify standard judicial procedures/deadlines to align with the new Pact regulation timelines.

  • Estonia

    The Commission will support Estonia in the following building block of the National Implementation Plan: Preparedness, Contingency Planning and Crisis response. The support measures would encompass:  an “AS-IS” analysis, an identification of gaps (“Gap Analysis”), identification of what needs to be done to close the gaps (“TO-BE” analysis), and the production of recommendations only related to the area of contingency planning and crisis management.

    Specific focus on the different legal framework and methodologies given from the national and EU level, to guide the development of a singular contingency and crisis management component under the NIP that meets all requirements. More concretely, the necessary work will be conducted through joint seminars, workshops, as well as drafting sessions.

  • Germany

    The Commission will provide support to Germany on their National Implementation Plan.

  • Greece

    The Commission will provide comprehensive support to Greece across all building blocks of the National Implementation Plan. The support measures would encompass a Gap Analysis, TO-BE analysis and the production of recommendations for the development of the NIP. The abovementioned analyses and relevant recommendations will cover legislative/regulatory arrangements, personnel (staffing and training), infrastructure, IT needs, costing and procurement needs of all areas selected below. 

    General support to coordination: In addition, the Commission’s support will also cover the coordination of input from relevant stakeholders.

  • Ireland

    The Commission will support Ireland in five different building blocks of the National Implementation Plan. Namely: A common migration and asylum information system: Eurodac; Fair, efficient, and convergent asylum procedures, Efficient and fair return processes; Horizontal: New safeguards for applicants for international protection and vulnerable persons, and increased monitoring of fundamental rights

    The support measures would encompass:  an “AS-IS” analysis, an identification of gaps (“Gap Analysis”), identification of what needs to be done to close the gaps (“TO-BE” analysis), and the production of recommendations in areas that cover legislative/regulatory arrangements, personnel (staffing and training), infrastructure, IT needs, costing and procurement needs. 

    The support provided will build on ongoing modernisation programme of Ireland's International Protection office (adaptation of processes and timeframes, develop new operating models, etc) and ongoing work on Eurodac building block (procurement of new national biometric system) align with Pact requirements/standards. In addition, Irish authorities would like to receive support in coordinating input from different stakeholders specifically on building blocks of Border Procedure, Return and Screening. 

    More information about Ireland participation participate in the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum

  • Italy

    The Commission will support Italy across all the thematic building blocks except for: A common migration and asylum information system: Eurodac and Solidarity and making solidarity work. For all the building blocks, the provision of support will cover desk review analysis, collection data activities, workshops, and interviews

    The support measures encompass: AS-IS analysis, conducting a Gaps analysis, To-Be analysis and recommendations covering all the areas as requested in the Common Implementation Pact, namely: legislative/regulatory arrangements/operating procedures, personnel (staffing and training), infrastructure, IT needs, costing and procurement.
    Specifically, for Responsibility, the support will focus on needed legislative reforms, analysis of the current structure of the Dublin Unit and its organization and personnel.

    For Horizonal issues, the support will focus on review of national legislation (when required), ensuring free legal counselling, alternatives to detention, BICs, multi-disciplinary age assessment, representation and guardianship for unaccompanied minors, and establishing an independent mechanism for the monitoring of fundamental rights. 

  • Portugal

    The Commission will support Portugal in six building blocks of the National Implementation Plan. Namely: A common migration and asylum information system: Eurodac; A new system to manage migration flows at the EU external borders; Fair, efficient, and convergent asylum procedures, Efficient and fair return processes; Horizontal: New safeguards for applicants for international protection and vulnerable persons, and increased monitoring of fundamental rights; Resettlement, Inclusion and Integration

    The support measures would encompass: Conducting a Gaps analysis, To-Be analysis and recommendations covering all the areas as requested in the Common Implementation Pact, namely: legislative/regulatory arrangements/operating procedures, personnel (staffing and training), infrastructure, IT needs, costing and procurement. 

    In addition, the Commission will support Portugal with the design of the future governance model for the implementation of the NIP, both internally at the beneficiary authority, and inter-ministerial levels.

  • Romania

    The Commission will provide comprehensive support to Romania all building blocks of the National Implementation Plan. The support measures would encompass mostly Gaps analysis, To-Be analysis and recommendations covering all the areas as requested in the Common Implementation Pact, namely: legislative/regulatory arrangements/operating procedures, personnel (staffing and training), infrastructure, IT needs, costing and procurement. More in detail: 

    Specifically, for “Rethinking reception”, the support will focus on rules applicable to detention, the use of the alternatives and reception of applications with special needs, 

    For "Efficient and fair return processes” the support will focus on rules applicable to public custody, alternatives and procedures for establishing a clear workflow for return counselling. 

    For "A fair and efficient system: making the new responsibility rules work” the support will focus on the Dublin units’ working methods.

    For "Make solidarity work” the support will focus on IT needs and capacity to implement relocations (infrastructure, resources and personnel);

    For "Horizontal: New safeguards for applicants for international protection and vulnerable persons, and increased monitoring of fundamental rights” the support will focus on the possibilities for an independent mechanism for the monitoring of fundamental rights during the screening phase and the asylum border procedure,