In April, the European parliament passed its pact on migration and asylum, a package of laws designed to overhaul the EU’s policies on migration and borders. But the issue of how to deal with “irregular” migrants – people who enter countries without proper visas or documentation – is far from settled.
Fifteen European governments (including 12 EU members) have called for the EU to change how it manages migration and asylum seekers. They want, primarily, to speed up the process by which irregular migrants can be returned to the countries they came from.
Citing Italy’s new arrangement with Albania as a model, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has called for an exploration of “return hubs” in countries outside of the EU.
