European Commission recognises Spain, Italy, Greece and Cyprus as being under migratory pressure

Four countries under pressure

The European Commission on Friday presented a report that sets the framework for redistributing asylum seekers across the EU in 2027. Spain, Italy, Greece and Cyprus have been recognised as 'under migratory pressure' and will receive assistance from other member states — either through the relocation of asylum seekers to them or through financial contributions, reports euronews.

The Ceuta crisis is taken into account, but will not affect figures proportionally

Formally, the report covers the period from July 2025 to June 2026; however, the Commission also took into account the arrival of more than 80,000 irregular migrants in Ceuta at the end of July. In two days, more people entered the Spanish exclave than crossed all EU borders irregularly in the first half of 2026. The mass arrival, however, should not lead to a proportional increase in the number of relocations next year: according to an EU spokesperson, 'the overwhelming majority of those who entered voluntarily returned to Morocco' within a short period after the crisis.

How the solidarity mechanism works

In addition to the four countries under pressure, the report identifies 15 states 'at risk of migratory pressure' — from Belgium, Germany and France to Poland, Romania and Finland: they are obliged to show solidarity, but their status will be reviewed to avoid disproportionate obligations. A third group — Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Croatia, Austria and Poland — is classified as 'facing a significant migratory situation' and may request exemption from quotas with certification from the Commission and approval from the other countries.

The size of the pool has not been disclosed

Alongside the report, the Commission proposed an 'Annual Solidarity Pool' that determines the total number of relocations and each country's share. Its size has not been disclosed; by law it must amount to at least 30,000 relocations and €600 million in financial contributions. Every state, except those under pressure, is obliged to participate proportionally to its population and GDP, choosing between accepting asylum seekers, paying €20,000 for each person not accepted, or funding operational support. The governments of the member states will determine the final size of the pool and the quotas by the end of the year.

Last year's experience and the rule-breakers

The practice of 2026 shows how contentious the distribution can turn out to be: governments then substantially cut down the Commission's initial proposal, and in fact fewer than 9,000 asylum seekers were relocated, against an agreed indicative figure of 21,000. The annual report on asylum and migration also recorded that Hungary and Slovakia violated the rules by pledging neither relocations nor financial contributions for 2026 — however, infringement procedures are not being launched for now. An EU official spokesperson emphasised: 'The system is mandatory. Last year they did not make pledges. We are in contact with both countries to secure compliance.' Italy, for its part, came under scrutiny after, at the end of August, a number of countries called on Rome to take back asylum seekers who had entered the EU through its borders; the Commission confirmed that it could suspend solidarity towards a country under pressure that fails to meet its obligations, but 'this is not yet the case.' During the reporting period, around 13,000 take-backs took place between member states, and Eurodac data indicate an approximately 13% decrease in unauthorised movements within the EU.