The EU has agreed on a new law on the return of migrants
On 2 June, European Union negotiators agreed on new rules aimed at speeding up and increasing the number of deportations from the bloc. One of the key provisions of the document is the possibility of sending people who have not been granted asylum and are required to leave the EU to so-called return centres outside the Union, reports Politico.
The new law is part of a broader reform of the European Union’s migration and asylum policy. It is designed to strengthen controls at external borders and support countries that receive the largest numbers of migrants.
European Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner stated that the agreement would help the EU regain control over who enters the Union and who must leave it.
According to Eurostat, currently only around 27% of those whose asylum applications have been rejected actually leave the EU.
The document allows member states to send such individuals to return centres outside the European Union. Some countries are already exploring the possibility of establishing such mechanisms. At the same time, civil society organisations have expressed concern that this could lead to human rights violations.
The new rules also provide for a tougher approach towards individuals deemed a security threat. Among the proposed measures are the possibility of conducting home searches, longer periods of detention, entry bans and sanctions against those who do not cooperate with the authorities.
François-Xavier Bellamy, a Member of the European Parliament from the European People’s Party, stated that the previous system sent a signal that even without the right to stay, a person could remain in Europe without consequences. According to him, people who do not have the right to stay in the EU will now have to leave its territory.
During the negotiations, the position on the document was supported by the European People’s Party, the European Conservatives and Reformists, as well as the Patriots for Europe and Europe of Sovereign Nations groups. Representatives of liberal and left-wing political forces opposed certain provisions.
Melissa Kamara, a representative of the Greens, criticised the agreement, calling it a tool for implementing xenophobic policies. She opposed the creation of return centres outside the EU, the detention of minors and the possibility of carrying out checks in people’s homes.
The previous round of negotiations last month ended without result due to disputes over the timing of the new rules’ implementation. Under the new agreement, some provisions will come into force in a year’s time, but certain rules, particularly those allowing the establishment of return centres outside the EU, will take effect immediately.
This is significant for countries already working on such arrangements, including the Netherlands and Germany.
Marta Velander, Director of EU Advocacy at the International Rescue Committee, stated that the new plans mark a new phase in the EU’s approach to asylum and migration.
According to her, governments will be granted broader powers regarding the detention and deportation of people, and there will be an increased risk of individuals being sent to countries where they may face persecution or other threats.
The agreement still needs to be approved by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament before it can enter into force.
