EU Migration Pact: 100 Days of Speed Over Care

What is the EU Migration Pact?

The EU migration pact, formally adopted on 14 May 2024 and applicable since 12 June 2026, is a package of ten binding laws that overhaul border management, asylum processing and responsibility-sharing across member states. Its stated goals are faster decisions, more uniform procedures and clearer returns. In the Netherlands, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) must now decide asylum applications within six months — a sharp reduction from the roughly two years the procedure previously took. The pact's EU asylum border procedure has drawn particular scrutiny from rights groups.

Speed Over Care: Vulnerable Applicants Fall Through

Vluchtelingenwerk and asylum lawyers confirm the process is indeed moving faster, but warn that quality is being sacrificed. Myrthe Wijnkoop of Vluchtelingenwerk says vulnerabilities are still not being recognised sufficiently. 'People with psychological problems or trauma, victims of torture and human trafficking — when those signals are missed, the consequences can be severe.'

Simplified procedure and tablet registration

To meet the six-month deadline, the IND has simplified the procedure. Health checks are no longer mandatory, and Vluchtelingenwerk no longer provides pre-procedure information to asylum seekers; the IND has taken over that task. Wijnkoop says team leaders and legal aid providers report that IND information is limited. 'People need more information to navigate the procedure properly.'

At the Ter Apel registration centre, first contact now happens through a tablet, where asylum seekers answer questions needed for their application. Wijnkoop warns this creates risks. 'If you have low literacy or have been through a lot, the chance of making mistakes is high.'

Missed vulnerabilities in asylum interviews

Asylum lawyer Maartje Terpstra points to a concrete case: a woman told her after her IND interview that she had been a victim of sexual abuse, but did not disclose it during the hearing because no female interpreter was present. 'Previously we identified such issues beforehand so people could tell their story properly during the hearing,' Terpstra says. 'That is essential for a careful asylum procedure, and it is now completely gone.' This echoes broader concerns about the digital asylum application process across Europe.

Impact on Asylum Seekers and Courts

New asylum applications made in Ter Apel are given priority over those filed before 12 June, to avoid immediate backlogs under the new rules. But when speed comes at the cost of quality, more asylum seekers have to appeal, Terpstra says. If a court rules in their favour, the IND must reassess the case. 'We see that we have to litigate an enormous amount because of the poor quality of decisions, which only increases the workload further.'

Before the pact, the Netherlands' 370 asylum lawyers each assisted an average of about 150 asylum seekers. Terpstra is blunt: 'Putting speed above quality has no positive effect. Ultimately it only leads to a longer procedure.' The situation at the EU's external borders has not improved either. A court in The Hague has ruled that conditions in Italy are still not good enough for the Netherlands to return asylum seekers there, adding pressure to the Dutch asylum and migration policy debate.

IND Response and Implementation Disputes

The IND says it fully understands how high the stakes are for those involved. 'We do not take this lightly. Taking a careful decision is exactly what drives us — before 12 June and after.' The agency adds that some concerns raised by Vluchtelingenwerk are not solely related to the pact, but part of a discussion that predates it and reflect choices by the cabinet and the legislature.

Wijnkoop partly disagrees. 'The choices the Netherlands made in implementing the migration pact have definitely influenced how the procedure is designed.' Vluchtelingenwerk calls the first signals worrying and says they 'undermine the quality and care of the procedure.'

FAQ: EU Migration Pact After 100 Days

What is the EU migration pact?

The EU migration pact is a package of ten binding laws that overhaul border management, asylum processing and responsibility-sharing, applicable since 12 June 2026.

How long does an asylum procedure take in the Netherlands now?

Since 12 June 2026, the IND must decide asylum applications within six months, down from about two years.

Why are refugee advocates concerned?

They say faster procedures are missing vulnerabilities among people with psychological problems, trauma survivors, torture victims and trafficking victims.

What changed at Ter Apel?

First contact now happens via tablet, health checks are no longer mandatory, and the IND has taken over pre-procedure information.

How many asylum lawyers are there in the Netherlands?

There are 370 asylum lawyers, who each assisted about 150 asylum seekers on average before the pact.