The Council of the EU announced an off-the-record press briefing on 3 December ahead of next week’s Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council, where ministers will attempt to finalise the long-stalled Migration & Asylum Pact. The meeting, set for 8-9 December in Brussels, is expected to tackle screening regulations, solidarity mechanisms and digitalisation of residence permits.
Belgium, which assumes the rotating Council presidency in January 2026, is positioning itself as a bridge-builder between high-arrival states on the Mediterranean and “front-door” countries like Germany and the Netherlands that demand tougher returns. Observers say the upcoming session will test whether the compromise on border procedures can survive Hungarian and Polish objections.
![EU Justice & Home Affairs Council Preview Signals Crunch Talks on Migration Pact in Brussels]()
Any breakthrough would directly influence Belgian legislation scheduled for the first quarter of 2026, including a draft bill to transpose EU screening rules into national law and integrate them with the country’s new digital residence card platform.
Global-mobility stakeholders should monitor outcomes closely: a Pact agreement could standardise admission procedures across Europe, shortening posting and family-reunification timelines but also introducing mandatory security interviews at Belgian airports.
Belgium, which assumes the rotating Council presidency in January 2026, is positioning itself as a bridge-builder between high-arrival states on the Mediterranean and “front-door” countries like Germany and the Netherlands that demand tougher returns. Observers say the upcoming session will test whether the compromise on border procedures can survive Hungarian and Polish objections.
Any breakthrough would directly influence Belgian legislation scheduled for the first quarter of 2026, including a draft bill to transpose EU screening rules into national law and integrate them with the country’s new digital residence card platform.
Global-mobility stakeholders should monitor outcomes closely: a Pact agreement could standardise admission procedures across Europe, shortening posting and family-reunification timelines but also introducing mandatory security interviews at Belgian airports.
