The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum is a package of legislative acts that reform how the EU manages migration and asylum — from arrival at the external borders to return or long-term legal stay, including forms of international protection. The Pact was adopted in May 2024 and will start to apply from mid-2026. You can read more about the Pact on the Migration and Home Affairs webpage.
One of the regulations introduced under the Pact is the Screening Regulation. It introduces a short, structured set of checks at external borders and in the EU territory to help national authorities quickly determine who has arrived, whether there are health or security risks, whether there are special protection needs, and which procedure should follow.
It is designed to strengthen both border security and fundamental rights safeguards by making these checks systematic across the EU and ensuring that people are referred quickly to the right procedure related to access to asylum or return to the country of origin.
This page explains, in turn:
- What the new Screening Regulation is.
- How screening works in practice at the external borders and, where applicable, within the territory.
- How fundamental rights, transparency and monitoring are ensured.
- What role Frontex plays in supporting implementation.
- How the Agency works with other EU and national partners to support Member States in implementing the Screening Regulation.
What is the new Screening Regulation?
The Screening Regulation establishes a mandatory screening phase for certain third-country nationals; that is, people from outside the EU/Schengen Area who do not fulfil the conditions for entry set out in EU law. Screening is carried out at the EU's external borders and, in specific situations provided for in the Regulation, at other locations within the territory.
Who is subject to screening?
Screening applies to third-country nationals who do not fulfil the entry conditions, including those who:
- Cross the EU external border without authorisation (by land, sea or air).
- Are brought ashore after search-and-rescue operations at sea.
- Are apprehended inside the territory after having initially eluded border controls — in this case screening is carried out away from the border.
- Present themselves at a border-crossing point to request international protection without meeting the regular entry conditions.
What is the purpose of screening?
Screening is intended to ensure that basic checks are carried out where no regular border check took place; for example, when people crossed the border between crossing points, were rescued at sea, or were apprehended in the territory after eluding border controls.
The aim of screening is to quickly establish the person's identity, any health and/or vulnerability issues, and any security risks, and then to refer them without delay to the appropriate procedure — for example, the asylum procedure or the return procedure, as applicable.
To do this, screening includes:
- Identification or verification of identity.
- Taking biometrics for people aged six or over and registration in Eurodac, where applicable.
- Preliminary health and vulnerability checks.
- Security checks, including consultations of EU and international databases.
- Completion of a standard screening form bringing together the information collected.
- The provision of information in a language the person understands about what screening is, what happens next, and where they can seek further advice or assistance.
At the end of the process, the person is directed to the relevant procedure. In most cases this will be an asylum procedure or a return procedure.
Depending on the outcome of screening and the individual situation, other lawful follow-up steps may also apply; for example, relocation to another Member State under the EU solidarity mechanism, or referral to criminal, extradition or other proceedings before the competent authorities.
You can read more about returns on the Frontex website. You can also learn more about current asylum rules on the EUAA website.
Asylum border procedure
In some circumstances, national authorities may also use an asylum border procedure. This is an asylum procedure carried out at, or close to, an EU Member State's external border, including at a border crossing point or in a transit zone. During this procedure, the asylum application is examined while the person is not authorised to enter the Member State's territory and may be required to stay at or close to the border location.
EU law requires the asylum border procedure to be as short as possible and sets a maximum duration of 12 weeks from registration of the request for international protection, with limited exceptions. If that time limit is reached, the person must be authorised to enter the territory to continue in the appropriate procedure, unless a return border procedure applies.
How long does screening last?
In principle, screening is time-bound:
- For people apprehended in connection with an unauthorised crossing of the external border, screening must be completed within a maximum of seven days.
- If a person is apprehended inside the territory without having undergone border checks, screening should be completed within three days.
The screening phase does not replace asylum or return procedures. It is an information-collection phase that prepares those procedures and helps ensure that the right one is applied.
