Europe: Immigration regulations tighten in 2025.
Anadolu Agency wrote: Migration regulations across Europe in 2025 have intensified as the EU and its member states tighten border controls, while access to asylum has become less accessible amid heightened security concerns and shifting public sentiment.
Europe has recorded a significant drop in irregular border crossings and asylum applications this year, thanks to the continent’s closer cooperation with countries of origin and the creation of new digital systems such as the Digital Entry-Exit System and the European Travel Information and Authorization System.
The European Council and the European Parliament agreed on the first EU-wide list of “safe countries of origin” on December 18, allowing member states to process applications for international protection more quickly.
The move is aimed at speeding up the processing of asylum applications and making it more efficient for applications that are unlikely to be supported at EU level.
The agreement designates Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco, and Tunisia as safe countries of origin at the EU level.
The rules are due to come into force in June 2026, alongside a broader pact on migration and asylum and a package of major reforms. The aim is to create a single system for migration by strengthening external borders, simplifying asylum procedures, and ensuring a fair sharing of the burden between member states.
Concerns from human rights groups
But the new changes have raised concerns from human rights groups. Amnesty International has warned that they will “undermine the foundations of refugee protection.
Disputes over the new migration changes continue. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has opposed the implementation of the EU migration deal, saying his government will not spend “a dime on this plan.
Hungary implements some of the most stringent immigration measures in the European Union, including building physical border fences, restricting access to asylum applications, and opposing preferential quotas in welcoming migrants seeking protection.