The European Union reached a provisional deal that allows member states to send illegal immigrants to “return hubs” in countries outside of the EU.
“The new regulation will speed up the return process and increase returns of persons who have no legal right to stay in the EU,” said Deputy Minister for Migration and International Protection of the Republic of Cyprus Nicholas Ioannides. “Migration is a top priority for the Cyprus Presidency, and today’s landmark agreement strengthens the credibility of the EU’s migration policy and complements the EU Pact on migration and asylum, always in compliance with human rights. The swift conclusion of this file within a tight timeframe reflects the commitment of the institutions to establish a set of EU rules on effective returns as part of a holistic migration system.”
MEP Charlie Weimers of Sweden told reporters that the agreement signals that an “era of deportations” has begun. Speaking to Euronews, Weimers said, “We’re moving from words to actual enforcement of our laws and our borders.”
EU rules allow member states to establish return hubs in other countries for those who cannot legally remain in the member states. Return hubs were established in 2025 and can “function both as centers for onward return towards the final country of return or as the final destination,” the entity said at the time.
The new regulation also creates a European Return Order (ERO), which is described as a “form on which member states must insert the key elements of the return decision” to “facilitate mutual recognition in the future, as member states will have the necessary information to recognise another member state’s return decision.”
