The European Parliament has approved a new migration law that expands powers to return migrants staying illegally in the European Union and allows member states to establish return centres outside the bloc.
The legislation passed on Wednesday by 418 votes to 218, with 30 abstentions, marking one of the most significant changes to EU return policy in nearly two decades.
The new rules require third-country nationals who receive a return decision to cooperate with authorities and leave the EU either immediately or within a specified period.
Authorities will gain broader powers to enforce returns. Migrants who fail to cooperate, are considered a flight risk or are deemed a security threat may be detained while preparations for removal are made.
Detention periods will increase sharply. Under the new framework, migrants may be held for up to 24 months, with a further six-month extension possible under certain conditions. Additional detention periods could also apply if a person moves to another EU member state.
The legislation also permits authorities to carry out investigative measures aimed at facilitating returns. These measures include searches of residences and other premises, as well as the seizure of personal belongings and electronic devices, subject to judicial or administrative authorisation.
A central element of the law is the creation of so-called return hubs outside the European Union.
Under the system, migrants who have received final return orders could be transferred to facilities in third countries that agree to accept them. Unaccompanied minors are excluded from the measure, but families with children may still be transferred.
Each arrangement will require a separate agreement between an EU member state and a host country. The agreements must comply with international law, human rights obligations and the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits sending people to places where they face persecution or serious harm.
The return hub concept has become one of the most debated elements of the legislation. Supporters argue that the centres will help address the EU’s long-standing difficulty in enforcing return decisions. European institutions have previously estimated that only a minority of people ordered to leave the bloc are ultimately returned to their countries of origin.
The vote also highlighted shifting political alliances within the European Parliament. The centre-right European People’s Party secured support from conservative and right-wing groups to pass the legislation, while Socialist and left-wing lawmakers largely opposed the measures.
Critics argued that the law risks weakening protections for migrants and expanding detention beyond what is necessary.
Ana Catarina Mendes, vice-president of the Socialists and Democrats group, said the regulation risked normalising practices that would previously have been considered unacceptable within the EU.
The issue has also gained attention in Finland.
Earlier this month, Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said Finland had begun examining the possibility of creating a return hub outside the EU together with other Nordic countries. The exploratory work started after EU institutions reached political agreement on the return regulation.
Rantanen said the aim was to improve the effectiveness of returns to countries where deportations have proved difficult to carry out.
HT