(MENAFN) Six nations—Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Croatia, Austria, and Poland—may apply for either full or partial exemption from the European Union’s Pact on Migration and Asylum, which is scheduled to come into effect in mid-2026, according to the European Commission.

"Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Croatia, Austria and Poland face a significant migratory situation because of the cumulative pressures of the last five years. They will have the possibility to request the Council to grant a full or partial deduction from their contributions to the Solidarity Pool for the upcoming year," the commission stated on Tuesday.

The Solidarity Pool requires member states to assist with the EU’s border management, whether through relocation programs, financial contributions, alternative measures, or a mixture of these efforts.

The commission further indicated that Greece, the Greek Cypriot Administration, Spain, and Italy are "under migratory pressure due to the disproportionate level of arrival," and emphasized that they would qualify to draw support from the pool.

"Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, France, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland and Finland are at risk of migratory pressure, either because of high numbers of arrivals in the preceding year, ongoing strains on their reception systems or the threat of weaponisation of migration that could create disproportionate obligations in the upcoming year," the statement added.

Countries identified as being at risk will also receive priority access to the EU Migration Support Toolbox, which provides technical and financial aid aimed at alleviating migration-related challenges.

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