EU Implements New Regulation to Expedite Return of Illegal Migrants

The EU has approved a new regulation to expedite the return of illegal migrants, introducing common return procedures and the option of 'return hubs' in non-EU countries, following a summer crisis that highlighted the need for stricter migration controls.

Key facts

• The EU has finalized a new regulation to expedite the return of individuals without legal right to stay.
• Approximately two-thirds of those ordered to leave the EU do not actually depart.
• The regulation complements the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which was implemented in June.
• The new regulation follows a crisis in July where migrants crossed from Morocco into Spain's Ceuta, prompting calls for tighter border controls.
• The European Commission has referred to returns as the 'missing piece' of the migration pact.

Sources

• Xinhua