Overview
- The European Parliament voted to adopt the Returns Regulation on Wednesday, June 17, passing the measure 418–218 with 30 abstentions in a session marked by heated confrontations among lawmakers.
- The regulation authorises member states to sign bilateral agreements with non‑EU countries to host 'return hubs' where third‑country nationals with return orders can be transferred while their removal is processed.
- The law raises the maximum period for pre‑removal detention from six months to 24 months and allows extended detention for those deemed security risks, plus expanded use of biometric checks, entry bans, fines and home searches.
- Human rights groups and the UN human‑rights chief warned the move risks unlawful or prolonged detention, weakened non‑refoulement safeguards and harm to vulnerable people, while supporters cite low EU return rates—Eurostat shows roughly 28% of return orders were executed—as justification for tougher tools.
- The regulation is not yet in force; it still requires formal approval by the Council, publication in the Official Journal, and operational readmission deals with partner countries, a process complicated by past court rulings and previous attempts such as the UK’s Rwanda plan and Italy’s Albania centres.