The European Union and the European Parliament reached a landmark agreement on Monday on a new migration law that introduces return hubs outside the bloc and significantly tightens deportation rules. The so-called Return Regulation is described by policymakers as the bloc's toughest migration policy shift in decades, aimed at accelerating the removal of migrants without legal status.
Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner called the deal a crucial step for EU control over migration. "This is a really very important step in making sure that we have control over what is happening in the EU, over who comes but also who has to leave the EU," he told reporters after the talks. Official figures show that only 29% of migrants ordered to leave the EU actually depart.
Return Hubs and Home Raids
The law's most contentious provision allows EU member states to establish return hubs in non-EU countries through bilateral agreements. These hubs can serve as transit points or longer-term holding centers, removing the current requirement that migrants be returned only to their country of origin or a country with proven ties. Only unaccompanied minors are exempt; families with children may be sent to such hubs.
Several EU countries are already exploring partnerships. Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, and Greece formed a coalition last March to implement return hubs, while Italy operates a similar scheme in Albania, though its two centers currently hold fewer than a hundred migrants. The law also permits searches of "places of residence or other relevant premises" of irregular migrants, a provision that civil society groups compare to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. Eleonora Celoria from Asgi, an Italian legal experts' association, told Euronews: "The provision is vague on purpose, to allow a broad interpretation in the different member states. It opens the doors to home raids and also raids in the premises of associations helping migrants and healthcare facilities."
Longer Detention and Tougher Bans
The regulation extends the maximum detention period for irregular migrants from six months to two years, with a possible six-month extension and unlimited duration for those deemed security risks. Entry bans rise from five to ten years, with lifetime bans possible for security concerns. Automatic suspension of deportations during legal appeals is ended, leaving courts to decide case by case. A voluntary European Return Order will facilitate mutual recognition of return decisions across member states.
The implementation timeline was a sticking point in negotiations. Under the compromise, some provisions take effect 12 months after the regulation enters force, shorter than the two years initially sought by the Council.
Rights Groups Condemn Xenophobic Turn
Civil society associations and left-wing MEPs have strongly criticized the law. Greens/EFA MEP Mélissa Camara said: "The text finalised today is the result of a shameful agreement: the legal arsenal serving a xenophobic ideology is now complete." Silvia Carta, advocacy officer at Picum, a network supporting undocumented migrants, warned: "This regulation will create a draconian detention and deportation system, from holding people in immigration detention for up to 30 months to tearing families apart and sending people to countries they do not know."
The law reflects a broader political shift across Europe, with conservatives and far-right parties pushing for tougher migration policies. The EU's approach has drawn parallels to other recent measures, such as Sweden raising the deportation age for teen migrants to 21 and the Permanent Court of Arbitration rejecting Rwanda's claim against the UK over a migrant deal. The regulation is expected to be formally adopted in the coming months, with implementation beginning in 2025.
