DOI
https://doi.org/10.26481/mup.sem.c2-001
License
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC BY 4.0)
Copyright
© 2026 The Authors (text content)
© 2026 Studio Europa Maastricht (typographical arrangement and editorial compilation).
Published On
30-06-2026
Part of:
Studio Europa–EPC Policy Brief Collection on New Perspectives on EU Migration
Series:
Studio Europa Maastricht Policy Brief Collections
Institution:
Studio Europa Maastricht | Maastricht University
Publisher:
Maastricht University Press
Description
The legal instruments of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum came into application in June 2026 following a two-year preparation period.
Key to the implementation of this legislative reform package is the rise of processes aimed at ensuring compliance without necessarily resorting to coercion or constraint, which we conceptualise as ‘soft enforcement’. Drawing on the conceptualisation of, and empirical research on, soft enforcement, this Policy Brief examines the potential and limits of soft enforcement.
We focus on two key mechanisms. First, steering, understood as the shaping of implementation through guidance, coordination, operational support, and networks. Second, monitoring, referring to the systematic collection and assessment of information on implementation progress and outcomes. The Brief concludes with a set of recommendations to strengthen the contribution of soft enforcement to the rights-compliant implementation of the Pact.
Publication details and metadata
Title
Strengthening the Implementation of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum through Soft Enforcement
Collection
Studio Europa–EPC Policy Brief Collection on New Perspectives on EU Migration
Series
Studio Europa Maastricht Policy Brief Collections
Institution
Studio Europa Maastricht | Maastricht University
Authors
Pauline El-Khoury (ORCID) – Maastricht University (ROR)
Emma Pecqueux – Maastricht University (ROR)
Evangelia (Lilian) Tsourdi (ORCID) – Maastricht University (ROR)
DOI (digital version)
https://doi.org/10.26481/mup.sem.c2
License
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC BY 4.0)
Copyright
© 2026 The Authors (text content)
© 2026 Studio Europa Maastricht (typographical arrangement and editorial compilation)
Access to this publication
Download: Download the PDF
Read Online: Open the flipbook
Publication Type and Language
Report – English
Published On
30 June 2026
Subject
Keywords
EU Enforcement, Compliance, New Pact on Migration and Asylum, EU Migration Law, EU Migration Policy, Steering, Monitoring, Soft Enforcement
Citation for this work
Statistics
Overview of total views and downloads. Statistics are updated monthly
- Page views:
- Paper downloads:
Last update:
