The European Court of Justice rules that Germany’s cuts to benefits for rejected asylum seekers breach EU law. The court finds that Member States must not provide only the “bare minimum” required to survive, but must instead ensure that support meets the level required under EU standards. The decision is described as a win for people whose asylum applications have been rejected and who rely on state assistance while they are still entitled to certain minimum protections. The ruling also comes as the EU introduces the new Migration and Asylum Pact, raising the prospect that changes to the EU migration framework could affect how benefits and safeguards are applied in practice. While the judgment focuses on compliance with EU legal requirements, the sources indicate uncertainty about how long the impact will last given forthcoming policy shifts at EU level. Overall, the court’s ruling requires Germany to align its benefits regime with EU obligations, following the finding that the previous approach violates the relevant provisions.