The regulation foresees the establishment of a reserve pool of 500 national experts in asylum to be deployed in Member States which require assistance in the event of disproportionate pressure on their asylum and reception systems. There is an obligation for all Member States to contribute to the pool, enabling the Agency to always have a certain number of experts ready for deployment in emergency situations. The regulation also introduces more flexibility in the composition of asylum support teams, so experts who are not employed by the Agency can be included. In addition, the EUAA is now mandated to participate in Migration Management Support Teams, which cater to Member States that need support from more than one agency at the same time.

The regulation introduces provisions to ensure that the Agency’s tasks fully adhere to fundamental rights. An independent Fundamental Rights Officer, who will answer to the Agency’s Management Board, will be appointed and be responsible for the development of the Agency’s Fundamental Rights Strategy. A complaints mechanism will be established to respond to claims of breaches of fundamental rights in the context of the Agency’s operations. The regulation also reinforces the Agency’s Consultative Forum, which will increasingly focus its work on fundamental rights related to asylum and work closely with the Fundamental Rights Officer. 

The regulation introduces an obligation for the EUAA to deploy Liaison Officers in Member States, which will allow foster cooperation and coordination. A possibility is also foreseen for the deployment of Liaison Officers to third countries. 

Under the new mandate, the EUAA will monitor the operational and technical implementation of CEAS in Member States in order to prevent shortcomings, identify existing limitations, assess national capacity to manage pressure and assist Member States to address such issues when identified. A much-discussed element of the new mandate, the monitoring mechanism will be rolled out gradually starting at the end of 2023. A key step will be the development of a methodology and agreement on a calendar by the Agency’s Management Board. 

At the end of 2023, the Agency will start the monitoring process as the first part of the monitoring mechanism will enter into force and begin sharing findings with Member States. Once the existing Dublin III Regulation is replaced by the proposal for an Asylum and Migration Management Regulation, the second part of the mechanism will enter into force through which the Agency can make recommendations for specific measures to be taken by Member States to address shortcomings. The regulation also foresees the possibility for the European Commission to make proposals for Council Implementing Acts, identifying specific measures and requiring Member States to cooperate with the Agency in their implementation. 

Another important change was the inclusion of country guidance in the Agency’s mandate. While the Agency already produces this information in cooperation with Member States on the basis of Council Conclusions, it now has a legal basis, which also requires Member States to take country guidance into account when assessing a claim for protection. 

The Agency will continue to coordinate the exchange of information and produce analyses and publications on key asylum-related themes. The regulation foresees the creation of databases and web portals with quantitative and qualitative information, part of which will be publicly accessible. In addition to reporting on the situation of asylum in the EU, information collection and analysis will also focus on developments in third countries which may have an impact on the EU. The Agency is to report on its analysis to the European Parliament twice a year. 

Building on existing work in the area of training, the regulation covers additional themes with a clearer focus on reception, resilience and stress management for asylum and reception staff. The regulation also foresees that the Agency should verify and, where necessary, ensure that experts who are deployed as part of the asylum support teams, including experts not employed by it, or are part of the asylum reserve pool, have received training that is relevant for their duties and necessary for their participation in the Agency's operational activities.

Finally, the regulation introduces the role of a Deputy Executive Director who is appointed by the Management Board and assists the Executive Director in the management of the Agency.