EU Exempts Five Member States from Obligation to Accept Migrants

The European Union has temporarily exempted five member states from their obligation to accept migrants. Poland, Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Estonia are free from this so-called solidarity fund. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán expressed outrage that his country was not included, declaring 'the beginning of rebellion.'

The decision to exempt the five member states from the solidarity fund was approved by EU interior ministers during a meeting in Brussels, as reported by Polish radio.

What is the 'solidarity fund'?

In 2024, the European Union adopted the Migration and Asylum Pact. Its main element is a solidarity mechanism that provides for the redistribution of migration pressure among EU states. Under this document, EU member states must either accept refugees from countries facing migration pressure or pay €20,000 for each individual not accepted. The pact is set to come into effect in mid-2026.

Poland, Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Estonia have requested temporary exemption from the solidarity fund for various reasons.