European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants to establish so-called “return hubs” outside the European Union to accelerate deportations.
In a letter sent to EU member states, the chief Eurocrat outlined plans for new legislation that would allow the easier removal of illegal migrants.
“We should also continue to explore possible ways forward as regards the idea of developing return hubs outside the EU, especially in view of a new legislative proposal on return,” she wrote on October 14.
Embracing such return hubs outside the EU seems to mark a shift to the Right.
With her proposal to outsource asylum seekers’ applications, von der Leyen has embraced Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s agreement with Albania.
“With the start of operations of the Italy-Albania protocol, we will also be able to draw lessons from this experience in practice,” the commission president said.
According to von der Leyen, that would “help those seeking asylum without having to embark on dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean”.
Her proposal for a new legal framework is designed to harmonise EU return policy.
New figures released by Eurostat have shown that most non-European Union citizens ordered to leave the bloc have not done so. https://t.co/XRsvbNlW2l
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) October 2, 2024
“Member states’ return procedures and practices vary significantly: we need to build a level of harmonisation and trust that will ensure migrants who have a return decision against them in one country cannot exploit cracks in the system to avoid return elsewhere,” she said.
“The EU’s migration policy can only be sustainable if those who do not have the right to stay in the EU are effectively returned,” von der Leyen added, citing the fact that only around 20 per cent of expulsion orders given to irregular migrants are currently enforced.
Von der Leyen’s letter follows member states demanding the commission reform the EU’s outdated migrant return policies.
In an informal document addressed to the commission, they argued that the current return directive, adopted in 2008, was now out-of-date and no longer efficient in addressing the EU’s immigration challenges.
The Netherlands and Austria, backed by fifteen other Schengen area countries, have called on the European Commission to reform the bloc’s outdated migrant return policies. https://t.co/8u9a2KokET
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) October 8, 2024
Von der Leyen also emphasised that her proposals would help the EU tackle Russia’s so-called “hybrid warfare” schemes, which involve Moscow and its allies directing migration flows across their borders into the EU.
“One of the first tasks of the Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration will be to work with Member States and stakeholders on preparing and responding to hybrid attacks and instrumentalisation of migrants,” von der Leyen wrote.
“We need a clear and determined European response to counter these activities, while not allowing Russia and Belarus to use our own values against us.”
The announcement comes shortly after Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, announced that he will suspend the ability of migrants to claim asylum in his country.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has announced he will suspend the ability of migrants to claim asylum in the country, insisting that the move is now necessary for him to “regain control” of the situation. https://t.co/JRdwLaDlLJ
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) October 14, 2024
