The European Commission will propose new legislation to encourage the expulsion of illegal migrants, announced President Ursula von der Leyen in a letter addressed to the 27 member states.
„The Commission will present a new legislative proposal” with „clear cooperation obligations for rejected individuals” and the desire to „efficiently streamline the return process,” von der Leyen said in response to requests from several EU member states.
„We need a new legislative framework to strengthen our ability to act,” the Commission chief further explained in the letter addressed to EU countries ahead of a EU summit on Thursday and Friday in Brussels, partially dedicated to migration-related issues, according to AFP.
To this end, Brussels proposes to facilitate the expulsion of individuals in an illegal situation, especially by establishing mutual recognition of decisions taken by a specific member state.
„We must build a level of harmonization and trust that guarantees that migrants subject to a decision to return to a country cannot exploit loopholes in the system elsewhere to avoid this return,” von der Leyen explained.
"Strategic" relations with countries of origin
Less than 20% of decisions to expel migrants in an illegal situation are followed by effects, she emphasized, promising increased cooperation with the third countries concerned, for example, by tightening visa issuance for recalcitrant states.
"Visa policy alignment has proven to be an important tool for managing illegal movements to the EU," von der Leyen said, citing Bangladesh and Ghana as examples.
The Commission President also suggests developing "strategic" relations with countries of origin and transit, following the example of what has already been done with Libya and Tunisia. The EU has signed agreements with these countries that should, among other things, limit the departure of migrants to the EU from their territory or even repatriate them to their countries of origin.
"Returns from North Africa to countries of origin have intensified through EU-funded operations, reaching 17,700 (returns) in 2024," von der Leyen said.
These agreements implemented in Tunisia and Libya have made it possible to reduce by approximately 66% the number of illegal migrant entries into the EU through the central Mediterranean, she emphasized.
But arrivals through the western Mediterranean and Atlantic to Spain increased by 56% at the end of September compared to the previous year. Therefore, she recommends strengthening the EU partnership with countries like Mauritania to reduce these departures.
EU Interior Ministers discussed on Thursday in Luxembourg a new tightening of migration policy, amid calls to review the "return directive" and discussions on transferring migrants to third countries.
Several European countries have requested a review of the 2008 "return directive," which harmonizes rules on deportation at the border.
France and Germany have supported a note from the Netherlands and Austria on this issue to facilitate and accelerate returns.
However, a first attempt to revise it in 2018 failed.