The European Parliament and the EU Council have reached a political agreement on the new European regulation on returns, one of the most awaited reforms of the migration package. The agreement aims to finally create a common regulatory framework at European level which regulates the repatriation procedures of migrants who have received an expulsion order and allows member states to develop agreements with third countries for their management in a more structured way.
The regulation does not introduce a single centralized repatriation system, but establishes shared rules and tools that individual states can also use to negotiate bilateral or multilateral agreements with countries of origin or transit. The objective is to make European action more coherent, reducing the differences between national systems and increasing the effectiveness of return procedures.
During a press conference in Brussels, the European Parliament rapporteur for the dossier, Malik Azmani (Renew), underlined how the agreement represents a step forward in the EU’s ability to act pragmatically on the migration issue. Azmani explained that the text provides member states with “the necessary tools to enter into agreements and understandings with third countries”, clarifying however that the form of these agreements can be flexible and adapted to different contexts.
Among the possible options, he added, there could also be alternative solutions to traditional forced repatriations, such as temporary residence permits for workers in countries neighboring their countries of origin, with the final aim of facilitating the return to their countries of origin.
Azmani also spoke about the case of the centers created by Italy in Albania, underlining how they were initially created as structures for the management of asylum applications and not as repatriation hubs. “With this regulation we are providing a regulatory framework that allows Member States to explore agreements with third countries, in compliance with international law.”
The speaker then claimed the political path that led to the agreement, highlighting how the dossier has garnered broad cross-party support. Responding to criticism of the involvement of radical right-wing political forces in the negotiation, Azmani said he had always maintained an “inclusive” approach, underlining that the priority was the content of the reform and the need to meet the expectations of European citizens.
The agreement will now have to be formally approved by the two European institutions.
