The European Commission has given Greece a positive first assessment on its implementation of the new EU Migration and A...

The European Commission has given Greece a positive first assessment on its implementation of the new EU Migration and Asylum Pact, covering the period from June 12 to July 7 this year. The Commission found that Greece "has begun correcting past practices," showing readiness to properly apply the new responsibility-sharing rules under the Pact. It noted a "firm commitment" and significant progress in preparation, with the necessary legal framework completed, operational guidelines drawn up, and relevant services trained. One of the more concrete developments is the strengthening of Greece's National Dublin Unit, which now has 69 staff, with another 116 positions currently being filled to handle the volume of cases the new system requires. Greece has also completed its integration with the new Eurodac database and upgraded its national IT systems to meet the Pact's new deadlines. On the critical question of asylum transfer requests, eight EU member states submitted requests or notifications to Greece under the new rules during the first weeks of the Pact's operation. The Commission confirmed that Greece has stopped its previous practice of refusing to accept responsibility in cases where it was obligated to do so under EU rules, and has not rejected a single request on grounds outside the new Regulation. The Commission also reaffirmed its 2025 finding that there are no systemic deficiencies in Greece's mainland asylum and reception system that would risk inhumane or degrading treatment. That means Dublin transfers to Greece should proceed the same as to any other member state, without the individual guarantees the Commission had recommended back in 2016. Of the four countries under migration pressure assessed in this round, Cyprus and Spain were already found to be applying the new rules adequately. Italy has made significant progress but still has specific steps left to complete before asylum transfers can be fully operational. #Greece #Migration #EU