Belgium has met the deadline to explain how it will implement the EU Migration and Asylum Pact to the European Commission, State Secretary for Migration and Asylum Nicole De Moor (CD&V) said on Thursday.
The Pact is a controversial text voted into EU law in September and will clamp down on migration through tougher border control, including detention for families and children. The use of biometrics and facial recognition will also become more widespread, and 'crisis' regulation will allow authorities to override rules in the case of unprecedented influxes of people.
De Moor confirmed that Belgium had submitted its implementation plan as she arrived to an EU Council meeting on Thursday.
The plan outlines the measures Belgium will take to integrate the Pact into its domestic system, ensuring the country is fully prepared to implement the agreement by June 2026.
"We have negotiated this agreement for many years, but there is still much work to be done," De Moor said.
Deadline met
All Member States were required to submit their national plans to the European Commission by 12 December, but not all have met this deadline.
During the last European summit, some countries such as Germany called for an earlier implementation of the Pact due to the influence of far-right political groups. The Commission expressed willingness to consider the proposal but early implementation was not included in the Council's conclusions.
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On Friday, the bloc will vote on the Facilitation Directive, another bill designed to curb migration into Europe. The directive aims to counter migrant smuggling by expanding the crime definition and increasing prison sentences.
Critics say the text only risks criminalising migrants, victims of smuggling, and people expressing solidarity with them rather than the smugglers themselves.
The Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) has denounced the attempt to criminalise individuals expressing solidarity with people who are fleeing war-torn countries or simply looking for a better life.
"European governments have been increasingly cracking down on migrants and on people who help them," said PICUM's Senior Advocacy Officer Marta Gionco. "This vote is moving in the direction of more criminalisation, with more people expected to face trials, fines and prison sentences simply for helping other people."
