The EU has approved its strictest migration law in decades, allowing member states to establish 'return hubs' outside the bloc to deport migrants without a legal right to stay. The new rules, driven by low return rates and political pressure, also increase detention times and tighten border controls. The Netherlands is leading a multi-country push for the hubs, while human rights groups criticize the law as a violation of fundamental rights.
Dutch return hubs outside EU
- ▪A deal to establish the first non-EU return hub is expected to be announced within six to seven months
- ▪The Netherlands is pushing to set up Europe's first 'return hubs' outside the EU for deporting migrants denied the right to stay
- ▪The Dutch government concluded there is no legal obstacle to the return hubs following a review by the Clingendael think tank
- ▪The Dutch government expects 'concrete steps' toward establishing the return hubs in the coming months
EU migration reform bill
- ▪Only unaccompanied minors are exempt from deportation to a return hub, while families with children are eligible
- ▪The new rules remove the requirement to return migrants only to their country of origin or a country with a proven connection
- ▪The maximum legal detention period for irregular migrants awaiting return is increased from six months to two years
- ▪Entry bans for returned migrants are increased from five to ten years, with possible lifetime bans for security risks
- ▪The law allows EU countries to establish deportation centers, or 'return hubs,' outside the bloc via agreements with non-EU countries
- ▪The new law is considered the EU's most significant shift to a tougher migration policy in decades
- ▪The law ends the automatic suspension of deportations during legal challenges, leaving the decision to courts on a case-by-case basis
- ▪According to official figures, only 29% of migrants with no legal right to remain in Europe currently leave the EU
- ▪The new rules were driven by high numbers of asylum seekers from 'safe countries' and voter fatigue with migration waves
- ▪The EU has agreed on a new law, the 'Return Regulation,' to speed up the return of migrants with no legal right to stay in Europe
Multi-country cooperation on migration
- ▪Italy has operated a similar, experimental scheme with two centers in Albania since late 2023
- ▪The first return hub is expected to be used by the Netherlands, Greece, Germany, Austria, and Denmark
- ▪The Netherlands is working with Denmark, Malta, and Sweden on processing asylum applications outside of Europe
External asylum processing centers
- ▪The goal of external asylum processing is to prioritize EU entry for migrants whose applications have been approved
Human rights convention debate
- ▪On May 15, 46 Council of Europe member states called for human rights rules to allow for more effective migration policy
- ▪Critics compare a provision allowing searches of migrant residences to raids conducted by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
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