BRUSSELS, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) is tightening its migration policy by proposing new measures this week to boost deportations and curb irregular migration.
The move comes as migration has become a key political issue in the EU, particularly after right-wing parties made gains in the 2024 European Parliament elections and amid continued difficulties in returning rejected asylum seekers. WHAT HAS THE EU PROPOSED?
EU lawmakers and governments on Monday agreed on new rules allowing countries to send migrants ordered to leave the bloc to centers in third countries.
The legislation, which still requires formal approval by EU governments and the European Parliament, was proposed by the European Commission last year. The Commission says it would streamline procedures and give governments more tools to deport migrants while respecting fundamental rights.
Under the new rules, EU members would be able to establish so-called "return hubs" outside the bloc for people whose asylum claims have been rejected or who have been ordered to leave the EU. Deportees could be sent to hubs in countries with which they have no connection, which means EU countries can bypass the refusal of certain countries of origin to accept their nationals.
"With the new rules, we have more control over who can come to the EU, who can stay, and who needs to leave," European Commissioner Magnus Brunner posted on social media platform X.
The draft legislation extends detention periods and introduces penalties, including entry bans, fines and possible criminal sanctions for non-cooperation. Authorities would be allowed to seize belongings, detain minors, collect biometric data and search homes. WHY NOW?
The momentum for tougher migration policies has been building across the EU since right-wing parties secured significant gains in the 2024 European Parliament elections.
The regulation adopted this week is part of a broader tightening of EU migration policy amid political pressure from the right. The shift reflects long-standing difficulties in enforcing return orders, with a small proportion of rejected asylum seekers leaving the bloc.
Since 2025, several European countries have imposed border controls within the Schengen area, citing security concerns over irregular migration, terrorism and regional instability. Germany has extended checks along all nine of its land borders until September 2026, affecting 9 neighboring countries.
French newspaper Le Monde described the regulation as the "missing link" in the EU's stricter migration framework, which makes the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum "practically enforceable."
The migration pact, adopted in April 2024 after years of negotiations, is expected to take effect on June 12.
"Europe cannot afford another period of standstill," said Dutch lawmaker Malik Azmani, who shepherded the regulation through the European Parliament.
"There is an urgent need for an effective return policy with higher return rates," he said, adding that only 28 percent of rejected asylum seekers return to their country of origin, while most remain in the EU. "This situation is deeply concerning. It undermines public confidence in our common migration policies." WHAT LIES AHEAD?
The proposals have exposed divisions within the EU, with member states split over both the scope and feasibility of the measures.
Some countries have voiced support for tougher return rules. At least five EU nations - Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark and Greece - are already in talks with third countries, mostly in Africa, to host "return hubs" based on Italy's detention deal with Albania.
Some have raised concerns over outsourcing migration management, warning of legal risks and potential humanitarian consequences.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday said he opposed the new EU rules, while German left-wing lawmakers described them as "inhumane."
Rights groups have likewise criticized the proposals, saying they could weaken safeguards and expose migrants to abuse.
"This deal will give governments much broader powers to detain and deport people," said Marta Welander, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian organization. "It looks set to normalize immigration raids, expand the use of detention in prison-like facilities outside EU territory that are essentially legal black holes, and increase the risk of people being deported to countries where they could face persecution, torture or worse."
Implementation may also face difficulties. Under the law, only non-EU countries, "where international human rights standards and principles in accordance with international law are respected," are eligible to host return hubs. However, some analysts argued that few such countries would be willing to host return hubs, as doing so could have negative repercussions on domestic public opinion.
