Nicosia, Cyprus. The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum will provide an effective and coherent framework for managing migration across the European Union, Cyprus Deputy Migration Minister Nicholas Ioannides said on Friday. He said the pact entered into force on June 12 and described the date as an important day for Europe.
Meeting in Nicosia
Speaking on arrival at an informal ministerial meeting on the pact at the Filoxenia Conference Centre in Nicosia, Ioannides welcomed ministers from EU member states, representatives of the European Commission, and European and international organisations.
He said the date marked the culmination of years of negotiations and two years of intensive preparation.
Implementation phase begins
Ioannides said that despite the challenges associated with implementation, there was strong commitment from all stakeholders to ensure the pact functions effectively.
He reiterated Cyprus’ long-standing position that migration must be addressed through a comprehensive and coordinated approach, describing the new pact as a complete legal framework that would enable the European Union to manage migration collectively through a common strategy.
Cyprus priorities and next steps
He noted that implementation of the pact had been one of the key priorities of Cyprus’ EU Council presidency, with close cooperation between member states and the European Commission in preparation for its launch.
However, he said the start of implementation marked the beginning rather than the end of the process.
“The challenge now is to ensure that the pact remains operational, effective and adaptable to future developments,” he said.
Assessment timeline
Asked when the new framework could be considered a success, Ioannides said it was too early to draw conclusions, noting that member states had already undertaken significant legislative, administrative and infrastructural reforms to meet the new requirements.
He said at least one year would be needed before a meaningful assessment could be made, describing the first year of implementation as a key milestone. He added that the pact’s performance would be monitored continuously and adjusted where necessary.