EU interior ministers agreed on Monday on a broad package of immigration reforms which includes the possibility for a country to create “return centers” outside the Community territory for people arriving irregularly while waiting … be repatriated to their places of origin.
Meeting in Brussels, ministers gave the green light to what the European Commission has long described as the “missing piece” of the system: the so-called return regulation. The rule was first proposed in March and allows EU countries to establish “return centers” outside EU territory for migrants awaiting repatriation.
The agreement “will allow both the EU and one or more member states to reach an agreement with a third country on return centers”, according to Danish Immigration Minister Rasmus Stoklund.
Ministers also backed the review of the safe third country concept, introduced in May, which would make it easier to reject asylum applications and allow for the expulsion of applicants. to countries through which they have only transited.
For the first time, EU countries will have a list of safe countries of origin at the European level, notably in Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco and Tunisia. In addition to these seven countries, the Commission is also considering safe candidate countries for EU membership, such as Turkey and Georgia. Applications from these nationalities will be processed much more quickly.
The toughest political fight has been whether all EU countries eviction orders must be automatically executed from others, part of the proposal on returns.
The final text introduces a two-phase mechanism: voluntary at the beginning and obligatory afterwards. It also establishes common procedures in the EU, creates obligations for those without the right of residence, strengthens cooperation between capitals and allows the creation of controversial return centers in third countries.
Ministers also reached agreement on the Pact Solidarity Fund, the burden-sharing mechanism that requires each EU capital to contribute through relocations, financial support or operational aid.
The Commission had proposed 30,000 relocations or equivalent financial aid (20,000 euros per person). The ministers agreed lower but binding targets: 21,000 relocations or 420 million euros for the 2026 cycle.
According to the Commission’s assessment last month, Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Italy are currently under migration pressure and will benefit from solidarity agreements once the agreement enters into force next year. Countries considered at risk will also be the first to receive additional support and funding from the EU.
However, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said upon arriving at the meeting this morning that the Spanish government would oppose the measure, considering it insufficient and below the initial figures set by the European Commission.
Hereafter, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia and Poland can claim total or partial deductions due to the strong migratory pressure in recent years.
The Council must now begin negotiations with the European Parliament on the legislative texts. The solidarity fund must still be subject to legal controls and be formally approved before the end of 2025.
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