A major reform of European migration rules aimed at hardening border procedures and overhauling the asylum process comes into force on Friday.
"For the first time we have a comprehensive European system," said Magnus Brunner, the European Union’s migration chief, adding that the reform would hand EU nations more control over their borders.
Here are the main features of the new initiative:
Beefed-up border screenings
Migrants irregularly entering the European Union will undergo identity and security checks in a process lasting up to seven days.
