EU Agrees on Migrant Deportation Law: New Rules and Centers Outside Bloc

Negotiators from EU member states have agreed on new rules to accelerate and increase deportations. This will allow rejected asylum seekers to be sent to centers outside the bloc. The decision is part of broader EU reforms aimed at strengthening control over asylum seekers and supporting countries that receive the most migrants.

The agreement was reached just days before other migration reforms come into force on June 12. Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner noted that this will help the EU regain control, as only 27 percent of rejected asylum seekers leave the EU territory. The new rules allow individuals ordered to leave the EU to be sent to «return centers» outside the bloc.

The text also introduces stricter rules for migrants deemed a security threat, including house searches, prolonged detentions, and entry bans. François-Xavier Bellamy, a French MEP, stated that «the era when nothing happened is ending.» Parts of the text will come into force in a year, but some provisions, including those allowing countries to establish «return centers,» will apply immediately, which is crucial for the Netherlands and Germany. The new rules still need to be approved by the EU Council and the European Parliament.