The member states of the European Union (EU) approved by a majority this Thursday an agreement to reform asylum rules, at a meeting in Luxembourg with the ministers of the ’27’ with the portfolio Migration.
Reached by qualified majority, the agreement aims to regulate asylum and migration management and procedures, two parts of the Migration and Asylum Pact that the EU aims to complete by April 2024.
“Thank you for the broad support for these two dossiers,” said the host of the meeting, Swedish Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard.
The agreement was only possible after Italy lifted its concerns about the conditions for deporting migrants without asylum who arrive in the EU.
Hungary and Poland voted against the agreement and Bulgaria, Malta, Slovakia and Lithuania abstained.
Sweden holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU until 30 June.
To reach the agreement today, only a qualified majority was needed, not unanimity.
A qualified majority is reached when at least 15 of the 27 EU Member States vote in favor and there are countries that represent at least 65% of the EU population.
Following today’s approval, negotiations with the European Parliament will follow. The final legal texts will emerge from the negotiations.
Source: DN
