Wednesday

29th Mar 2023

EU to fast-track migrant deportations

  • Pakistani migrants in Kos, Greece (Photo: iom.int)

EU ministers are coming up with plans on how to best to use the deportation of failed asylum seekers as a deterrent for others.

A leaked paper from the Council, representing EU member states, says some €800 million will be set aside on larger efforts to remove people without the proper paper work from the EU back to their home countries.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

"The EU and its member states must do more in terms of return. Increased return rates should act as a deterrent to irregular migration," notes the document.

Leaked by London-based civil liberties group Statewatch, the draft conclusions are to be discussed at a home affairs ministerial in Luxembourg on Thursday (8 October).

Ministers want the European Commission to come up with new legislative proposals, if necessary, on how to speed up the process.

Thousands of people from Syria, Afghanistan and other countries are arriving on a daily basis in the EU. The past few weeks have seen EU leaders and ministers attempt to cobble together a coordinated response.

The EU already has a law on returns but it is not being applied. The Commission has threatened to take member states to court on the matter.

Up to 500,000 people in the EU are ordered to leave every year but only around 40 percent are sent back.

The return bottleneck is due to either the lack of readmission agreements with countries outside the EU or because the agreements are not being respected. The EU has 17 readmission agreements.

The draft gives the Commission six months to come up with tailor-made solutions for more effective readmission with each. It says a "balance of incentives and pressure" should be used to make sure the countries stick to the rules.

The document notes "all tools shall be mobilised to increase cooperation on return and readmission".

For states in Africa, the document notes that people can be returned even without a readmission agreement.

A 15-year-old treaty between the EU and Africa, Caribbean and Pacific group of states – known as the Cotonou Agreement – contains an article that "commits all participating states to readmit their own nationals without further formalities".

Ministers also want national authorities to issue special "EU laissez-passer" documents to all unwanted asylum seekers and refugees.

"The idea that returns can be fast-tracked through issuing EU laissez-passer to return refugees to third countries is reminiscent of the apartheid pass laws", said Statewatch director Tony Bunyan.

They want the return system promoted and broader cooperation with states where people are leaving from to enter the EU.

This includes connecting all EU-funded networks and programmes like EURINT (European integrated approach on return towards third countries), ERIN (European reintegration instrument network), EURLO (European return liaison officers), EMLOs (European migration liaison officers), ILOs (Immigration liaison officers) and the EU's border agency Frontex.

The European Commission, for its part, said in early September the networks need to "deploy mobile task forces" to help issue the travel documents.

EU unveils Turkey migration plan

The Commission has unveiled a plan on how to stem the flow of migrants from Turkey, including extra funds and a joint crackdown on smugglers.

Latest News

  1. The overlooked 'crimes against children' ICC arrest warrant
  2. EU approves 2035 phaseout of polluting cars and vans
  3. New measures to shield the EU against money laundering
  4. What does China really want? Perhaps we could try asking
  5. Dear EU, the science is clear: burning wood for energy is bad
  6. Biden's 'democracy summit' poses questions for EU identity
  7. Finnish elections and Hungary's Nato vote in focus This WEEK
  8. EU's new critical raw materials act could be a recipe for conflict

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. InformaConnecting Expert Industry-Leaders, Top Suppliers, and Inquiring Buyers all in one space - visit Battery Show Europe.
  2. EFBWWEFBWW and FIEC do not agree to any exemptions to mandatory prior notifications in construction
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: The Nordics are ready to push for gender equality

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Azerbaijan Embassy9th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting and 1st Green Energy Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting
  2. EFBWWEU Social Dialogue review – publication of the European Commission package and joint statement of ETUFs
  3. Oxfam InternationalPan Africa Program Progress Report 2022 - Post Covid and Beyond
  4. WWFWWF Living Planet Report
  5. Europan Patent OfficeHydrogen patents for a clean energy future: A global trend analysis of innovation along hydrogen value chains

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us