Home affairs

What the EU does

The EU aims at ensuring the security of the Schengen area, developing a common EU migration and asylum policy, building a safer Europe and promoting cooperation with non-EU countries. The European Commission works closely with the EU countries and European agencies, international organisations and other stakeholders to develop and implement these policies. They help protect and sustain the area of freedom, security and justice.

An example of innovative SMEs in the management of biometric data at Lisbon Airport..

Facts about home affairs

29 countries of the Schengen area: 25 EU countries and 4 associated countries

6.8% of total EU population were non-EU citizens on 1 January 2025

1.5% of EU population are refugees

^Sources:^Eurostat^;^{European Parliament}

Areas of action

Schengen, borders and visa

Area of freedom, security and justice without internal frontiers

Internal security

Policies and actions aimed at ensuring a safer and more secure Europe

Migration and Asylum

Rules managing migration and establishing a common asylum system at EU level

Law enforcement cooperation

Facilitating quicker, safer, and more structured law enforcement cooperation to combat cross-border crime and terrorism in the EU

International affairs

Partnering globally to tackle the external dimension of our Home Affairs policies

Key achievements

In 2025, the EU celebrated the 40th anniversary of Schengen. 29 countries (25 EU and 4 associated) are full members of the Schengen area where 450 million people can travel without passport control. It helps millions of people who cross borders daily and 31 million enterprises who may benefit from easier access to the internal market.
The Pact on Migration and Asylum entered into force in 2024, offering a comprehensive approach that aims at strengthening and integrating key EU policies on migration, asylum, border management and integration. With firm but fair rules, it is designed to manage and normalise migration for the long term.
More recently, in 2025, the Commission proposed a Common European System for Returns, a new legal framework with the aim to have swifter, simpler and more effective return procedures across the European Union, complementing the new EU rules on migration and asylum.
In 2025, the Commission presented ProtectEU, the new European Internal Security Strategy. The strategy sets out a vision for a stronger EU. Its goals are to jointly anticipate, prevent and respond to security threats, ensuring peace, stability and prosperity for EU citizens.

In focus

Report shows illegal border crossings continue to fall

The second annual asylum and migration report demonstrates how the EU's new approach to migration is delivering results. Illegal border crossings have more than halved over the past two years, and fell by another third in the first half of 2026. Asylum applications dropped by 19% in 2025, and the EU-wide return rate is now above 30%.

The report also covers the significant progress EU countries have made in implementing the pact on migration and asylum, which applies fully since June 2026.