Spain, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus have been recognized by the European Commission as being "under migration pressure," paving the way for the relocation of asylum seekers to other EU member states. However, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia refuse to participate.
Spain, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus have been recognized by the European Commission as being "under migration pressure" in its first annual report on asylum and migration, published on Tuesday.
Last year, these countries were noted for having a "disproportionately high level" of migrant arrivals, including those rescued at sea. Therefore, in 2026, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus will benefit from the solidarity of other EU member states, which may be expressed through the relocation of asylum seekers to their territories or financial assistance.
Along with this assessment, the Commission proposed that the 27 EU member states create an Annual Solidarity Pool - a mechanism to determine the total number of individuals seeking asylum that need to be relocated and the amount each country should allocate or compensate.
The proposal for the pool will be discussed by EU member states, which must determine the size and share of solidarity for each country by the end of the year.
Each EU member state, except those under migration pressure, must contribute proportionally to its population size and total GDP and can choose one of three options to meet the needs outlined in the proposal: relocate a certain number of asylum seekers to its territory, pay €20,000 for each person they do not accept, or finance operational support in member states under migration pressure.
The final decision will be made by EU countries through a qualified majority vote, and the minimum size of the solidarity pool will be legally set at 30,000 relocations and €600 million in financial contributions.
The Commission's report also identified 12 countries "under migration pressure": Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, France, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, and Finland.
These countries are obligated to show solidarity to those under migration pressure, but their situation will be reassessed next year to avoid disproportionate commitments.
A third group of countries was classified as "facing a significant migration situation": Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Croatia, Austria, and Poland. They are still required to show solidarity but may request an exemption from the announced quotas, which must be confirmed by the Commission and approved by other member states.
The report and the solidarity pool will serve as the basis for developing a system of "mandatory solidarity" as outlined in the Migration and Asylum Pact - a comprehensive reform of migration policy adopted in 2024.
