Just hours before the European pact entered into force, France’s Interior Ministry published a 120-page circular (NOR INTV2615721C) that rewrites large sections of the Code de l’entrée et du séjour des étrangers et du droit d’asile (CESEDA). Effective 12 June, local prefectures, OFPRA case-workers, border police and immigration courts must apply nine directly-effective EU regulations and retire dozens of national articles that now conflict with European law. Key operational changes include a single, colour-coded asylum-application form to be handed out at prefectures, a five-day deadline for initial screening interviews, and mandatory fingerprint transmission to Eurodac within 72 hours of registration. The ministry warns that failure to meet the new timelines will expose the French state to litigation and potential EU infringement proceedings. The circular also clarifies that migrants intercepted in Channel crossings may be channelled into the pact’s border-procedure track—even if rescued in French territorial waters—and that appeals against negative decisions will no longer be automatically suspensive. Employers hosting posted workers or intra-company transferees are advised to verify that employees’ residence permits have the correct “statut” codes, as some legacy titles become invalid on renewal. For corporate mobility managers, the biggest takeaway is speed: asylum claimants will receive decisions faster, but so will rejected applicants, meaning removals could rise by up to 30 % according to the ministry’s own impact note. Companies that sponsor humanitarian visas must adapt their internal timelines to the new procedural clock. Training webinars for HR teams are being organised by the Business France agency later this month.
