The European Union moved a major step closer towards adopting its toughest-ever return and deportation framework on Monday after negotiators from the European Parliament and EU Member States reached a political agreement on the bloc’s new Return Regulation during trilogue talks.
The deal, which still requires formal approval by both the European Parliament and the Council, is widely seen as the final major migration file complementing the EU’s Migration and Asylum Pact, the implementation deadline of which is scheduled for 12 June across the bloc. It replaces the 2008 Return Directive and significantly strengthens the powers of Member States to deport rejected asylum seekers and illegal migrants.
The agreement was welcomed by right-wing factions in the European Parliament, including Patriots for Europe (PfE), the European People’s Party (EPP), the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), and the Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN), which had already backed Parliament’s negotiating position earlier this year, helping secure the necessary majority for the legislation.
Among the most significant elements retained in the trilogue compromise is the legal framework for so-called return hubs outside the European Union. Under the agreement, Member States or the EU itself may conclude arrangements with third countries where rejected asylum seekers can be transferred pending return procedures. Importantly, deportees may be sent to countries with which they have no previous connection, marking a notable shift from the bloc’s previous migration policy practice.
PfE celebrated the outcome as a major breakthrough. In a statement issued after the agreement, the group declared that the deal ‘opens the door for return hubs, puts an end to endless legal delays and restores sovereignty to national governments.’
‘For years, citizens have demanded that illegal migrants are sent back. Yet today, only 20 per cent of rejected asylum seekers actually leave the EU. That era of paralysis needs to end,’ the group stated.
PfE negotiator Marieke Ehlers argued that the regulation fundamentally changes the balance of responsibility in migration policy. ‘This regulation puts the obligation exactly where it belongs: on the illegal migrant,’ Ehlers stated, adding that ‘the days of pampering are over.’
The regulation also introduces a European Return Order, enabling return decisions issued by one Member State to be recognized and enforced more easily across the bloc. However, one notable change emerging from the negotiations is that mutual recognition will not immediately become mandatory throughout the EU. Following objections from several Member States, the European Commission will first assess the system after two years before considering mandatory implementation.
Additional provisions include stricter obligations on rejected migrants to cooperate with return procedures, stronger penalties for non-compliance, longer detention periods, and expanded powers for authorities to prevent individuals from absconding. The agreement maintains detention periods of up to 24 months in certain cases and introduces enhanced measures for individuals considered security risks, including potentially lifetime entry bans and priority removal procedures.
‘The final text also limits migrants’ ability to delay removals through repeated legal appeals’
The final text also limits migrants’ ability to delay removals through repeated legal appeals. Appeals will no longer automatically suspend return procedures in many cases, one of the central demands raised by right-wing groups during the negotiations. According to the Patriots statement, return procedures may now continue while court proceedings are still ongoing.
Another notable feature of the agreement is its emphasis on national sovereignty. According to Patriots for Europe, ‘almost all provisions give Member States the freedom to go further,’ allowing national governments to maintain or introduce stricter return measures under their own legal systems.
The compromise text will now undergo technical finalization before being submitted for formal approval by the European Parliament and the Council.
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