The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum enters into force. The important day, marking the beginning of a new phase in European migration policy, will be marked with a special informal ministerial conference in Nicosia, the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU announced.
The entry into force of the new European Pact is the culmination of long-standing efforts to address the migration crisis in Europe. It introduces a coherent system of common rules, procedures and obligations for all member states, said Cypriot Deputy Minister for Migration Nicholas Ioannidis.
Today's "festive" The ministerial meeting, as the Cyprus EU Presidency called it, will focus on the importance of the Pact for establishing a common, effective and comprehensive European approach to migration and asylum management, as well as on the next steps for its successful operation, the announcement states.
The two working sessions of the conference are entitled "From Negotiations to Implementation" and "Beyond Implementation: The Way Forward". The discussions will address national preparations, new procedures, IT systems, operational assistance provided to Member States.
Special attention will be paid to the new system of European solidarity and shared responsibility.
Pope Leo XIV called for legal and safe pathways for migrants. In the Canary Islands, he paid tribute to those who died trying to reach the shores of Europe and declared that human dignity has no passport and does not lose its value when crossing a border.
"Every boat that arrives does not simply carry migrants. It also carries with it the question - what kind of world have we built if so many of our brothers and sisters must risk death in search of life." With these words, Pope Leo XIV addressed the people of the Canary Islands.
He is the first head of the Roman Catholic Church to visit the archipelago.
In his speech, the Pope called for legal and safe routes for migrants, rescue and assistance, and genuine cooperation against traffickers. Leo XIV also called for effective protection of victims, serious processes of acceptance and integration, and policies that allow every person to live with dignity in their own land.
"Europe cannot proclaim human dignity and get used to the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean being cemeteries without tombstones", the Holy Father stressed.