European Union lawmakers and national governments on Monday approved new regulations permitting member states to transfer individuals ordered to leave the bloc to migrant return hubs in third countries, marking a significant milestone in the broader tightening of migration policies across the EU.
The deal has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations, which warn that the proposed system could expose migrants and asylum seekers to abuse. The legislation awaits formal approval by EU governments and the bloc’s Parliament. The European Commission proposed the updated framework last year, saying it would streamline procedures and provide member states with more effective means to deport people while respecting fundamental rights.
The agreement comes as irregular arrivals to the EU fell 26 percent last year, reaching their lowest level since 2021. At the same time, governments across the bloc face growing pressure from right-wing parties to adopt more stringent migration policies.
Rights groups warn EU policies create a “detention and deportation machine”
Rights groups strongly dispute the European Commission’s assessment. “This regulation is going to create a draconian detention and deportation machine,” said Silvia Carta, advocacy officer at the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants, known as PICUM.
EU governments say they face serious challenges in ensuring that rejected asylum seekers and those who overstay their visas actually leave. According to the European Commission, only about 20 percent of people ordered to leave the bloc currently do so. Under the new regulations, EU member states would be able to establish so-called “return hubs” outside the European Union for those whose asylum claims have been rejected or who have otherwise been ordered to exit EU territory.
Migrants could be sent to hubs even in countries with which they have no personal or legal connection. “With the new rules, we have more control over who can come to the EU, who can stay, and who needs to leave,” said European Commissioner Magnus Brunner. Member states have not yet disclosed which countries might host the proposed centers.
New powers include detention, fines, and home searches
The draft legislation extends detention periods and introduces penalties for failure to comply, including entry bans, fines, and possible criminal sanctions. Authorities would also be allowed to seize belongings, detain minors, collect biometric data, and search migrants as well as “relevant premises.” Human rights groups say the proposal is overly broad and could effectively allow for home raids.
Activists and non-governmental organizations working with asylum seekers in the EU say some of these practices are already taking place and have increased in recent months. They point to a rise in deportations of recognized refugees from Germany and other EU countries to Greece and border states in general. In some cases, authorities have conducted nighttime home searches to detain people and transfer them to detention centers or airports for deportation, sometimes even without allowing them to gather their belongings.
Minos Mouzourakis, a lawyer and advocacy officer at Greece-based non-profit Refugee Support Aegean, warned that the draft legislation amounted to “a recipe for extremely damaging and extremely dangerous practices” in Europe.
Lawmakers say EU migrant return hubs reflect a significant political shift
French Greens lawmaker Mélissa Camara strongly criticized the agreement, linking it to the EU’s broader political shift on migration. “The legalization of return hubs outside the European Union, the green light for the detention of minors, home visits inspired by (US) ICE practices: The legal arsenal serving a xenophobic ideology is now complete,” she said.
The criticism reflects wider concern among migrant rights groups that the EU is moving toward a system focused increasingly on detention, deportation, and the externalization of asylum responsibilities.
Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Greece, and Austria explore EU migrant return hubs
Some EU countries have already begun exploring arrangements similar to those envisioned in the draft legislation. The Netherlands is working with Denmark, Germany, Greece, and Austria to establish joint return and transit hubs.
Bilateral talks between the Netherlands and Uganda on a similar arrangement have been put on hold. The Dutch government has called for concrete steps by the end of the year, as it faces what Prime Minister Rob Jetten has described as an “asylum crisis.”
Reception centers in the Netherlands are overcrowded, including the main registration hub in Ter Apel, which has started admitting only the most vulnerable. Anti-migration protests have also emerged in areas hosting emergency shelters amid capacity shortages and a slow outflow of asylum seekers.
The proposed EU regulations will now proceed through the final stages of formal approval. If adopted, they would mark one of the most significant changes to the bloc’s migration and deportation system in years.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
