Following pressure from right-wing and far-right parties, the European Union’s 27 member states have approved a major tightening of the bloc’s migration rules – including the controversial introduction of so-called 'return hubs' for rejected asylum seekers.
EU countries have given their backing to the tightening of Europe’s migration rules, endorsing for the first time the creation of “return hubs” outside the bloc for people whose asylum claims have been rejected.
The move marks an acceleration in the EU’s migration overhaul, driven by political pressure across the continent and a surge in support for right-wing and far-right parties.
Meeting in Brussels on Monday, EU interior ministers voted for the first time on three migration proposals unveiled earlier this year by the European Commission.
Together, they aim to clamp down more firmly on irregular arrivals and speed up the removal of people who are not granted the right to stay.
At the heart of the package is a plan that would allow the creation of centres outside the EU’s borders.
Migrants whose asylum claims have been rejected could be sent to these “return hubs”, where their cases would be handled and their departure arranged.
The proposals would also usher in tougher penalties for those who refuse to leave EU territory, potentially extending the time migrants can be held in detention.
In addition, the Commission wants to make it easier to send people back not only to their countries of origin, but also to any state deemed “safe” by the EU.
Even though irregular arrivals have fallen by around 20 percent compared with last year, political pressure has not abated.
That drop has prompted calls from some governments to lock in tougher measures while the numbers are relatively manageable.
“We must move forward to give citizens the feeling that we are in control of the situation,” said European Commissioner Magnus Brunner, who has spearheaded the tightening of migration rules.
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France and Spain 'sceptical'
The package has sparked strong pushback from the left and from organisations working with migrants.
They argue that the new rules risk undermining human rights and leaving already vulnerable people in limbo.
“Instead of investing in safety, protection and inclusion, the EU is choosing policies that will plunge more people into danger and legal uncertainty,” warned Silvia Carta of PICUM, an organisation advocating for undocumented migrants.
Denmark, which currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency and pushing for more hardline migration policies, has been driving efforts to secure swift agreement. One European diplomat said the proposals were moving “very quickly” through discussions and claimed there was “broad political will” among member states to sign them off.
Yet not everyone is convinced. France has raised questions about both the legality and the real-world effectiveness of several measures, while Spain remains hesitant over the return-hub concept, pointing out that similar schemes have already been tested with little success. Even so, they found themselves outnumbered on Monday.
Support from the European Parliament’s right and far-right has consolidated the Commission’s hopes of rapid progress.
Only last week, MEPs from these groups joined forces to give the proposals an initial green light, and many lawmakers are pushing for final adoption early next year.
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'Responsibility-sharing'
Meawnhile, EU states also settled the details of a new “solidarity” mechanism for distributing asylum seekers across the bloc – a particularly delicate issue at a time when many governments are under fierce domestic pressure to appear tough on migration.
Under the new system, at least 30,000 asylum seekers will be relocated each year. Countries that refuse to take part in relocations will instead be asked to contribute €20,000 per person to frontline states such as Greece and Italy, which continue to handle the bulk of new arrivals.
Negotiations have been running for weeks, but political tensions have made the process particularly volatile.
With migration high on national agendas, governments face domestic resistance to the idea of accepting people from elsewhere in the bloc.
Several countries – including Belgium, Sweden and Austria – have already stated openly that they will not take in asylum seekers relocated from other member states.
Still, by Monday a compromise was found, although member states have kept the precise details under wraps.
(with newswires)
