News
News Published: 4 June 2026
EUAA publishes practical guides on asylum border procedure and subsequent applications, ahead of new Pact rules
Ahead of the entry-into-application of the new Asylum Procedure Regulation on 12 June, the EUAA has recently published practical guides on key aspects of this reform, including on the new Asylum Border Procedure and the handling of subsequent (i.e., repeat) asylum applications. The practical guides are aimed at case officers, interviewers and decision-makers, as well as process managers and policy officers within EU+ national authorities.
The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) has recently published practical guides on key aspects of the new Asylum Procedure Regulation, which becomes applicable on 12 June 2026 and replaces the former Asylum Procedure Directive. Among several novelties, the new Regulation introduces a mandatory asylum border procedure, which aims at the swift examination of applications from persons likely not in need of international protection.
Member States are now obliged to set up an Asylum Border Procedure; however, the number of applicants that must be processed at the border can be limited to the capacity that each of the Member States has put in place, known as ‘the adequate capacity’. Applications that surpass this adequate capacity will be examined in accelerated procedures within the territory, which will reduce the risk of bottlenecks and congestion at border locations at times of higher inflows. The Practical Guide comes as a majority of asylum applications (51%) in EU+ countries in 2025, were lodged by nationals of countries with low recognition rates (<20%), which is one of several grounds for the mandatory application of the asylum border procedure under the new rules
The new Practical Guide on the Asylum Border Procedure explores the key elements of the practical organisation of this new procedure, with a particular focus on cooperation mechanisms, channelling processes, procedural safeguards and efficient workflows. It outlines the building blocks for setting up an effective asylum border procedure and is primarily intended for process managers and policy officers within EU+ national asylum administrations. To make this procedure work in practice, close coordination will be needed between the border guards, the asylum authorities and, in case of a rejection, the authorities responsible for return.
The Agency has also just published an updated guide on repeated or subsequent applications, given the new rules. The number of repeat asylum requests has been rising. In 2025, the number of repeated requests rose by 39% compared to 2024, mainly lodged by Afghan women following a judgment from the Court of Justice of the European Union. The share of repeated applications (from the whole number of applications) has been rising too, from 9% of all applications lodged in 2020, to 15% in 2025 – which is the highest on record.
The updated Practical Guide on Subsequent Applications aims to support Member States in the assessment of subsequent applications. The exact assessment differs depending on the circumstances of the previous application and the way it was concluded. As a result, assessing a subsequent application can call up intricate legal questions and requires stronger cooperation among Member States. The guide aims at providing case officers with guidance on the registration and examination, as well as on the special procedural rules, for assessing subsequent applications. The guide was updated to reflect legislative changes in accordance with relevant provisions in the Pact on Migration and Asylum.
Background
The Agency’s practical guides and tools help increase the knowledge and technical skills of asylum practitioners across the EU. While not legally binding on Member States, asylum practitioners consider them to be soft law instruments, which are primarily for use by EU+ national authorities but are also often referred to by civil society organisations and by national judiciary bodies. Therefore, they are commonly developed by – and agreed with – members of the EUAA’s thematic networks and are subsequently adopted by the EUAA Management Board.