Gambiaj.com – (STRASBOURG, France) – The European Parliament on Tuesday definitively adopted two major legislative texts aimed at tightening the European Union’s migration policy, marking a significant shift endorsed by an alliance of right-wing and far-right lawmakers.
The new measures will allow EU member states to return asylum seekers to countries they are not originally from, provided those countries are deemed “safe” by the bloc.
The legislation still requires formal approval from the 27 EU member governments, but it represents a decisive step in the EU’s ongoing overhaul of its asylum and migration framework.
The reforms form part of the broader Migration Pact adopted in 2023, with full implementation scheduled for June 2026. They reflect a continued hardening of EU migration policy since the arrival of more than one million refugees and migrants, many fleeing war in Syria, during the 2015–2016 crisis.
Under the new rules, EU lawmakers also agreed on harmonised regulations governing the return of migrants across the bloc. Migrants receiving return orders for the first time will face clearly defined obligations. Those who fail to comply voluntarily could face detention or prison sentences for lack of cooperation.
The legislation further allows EU countries to establish “return centres” outside EU territory. Italy has already tested this approach under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, setting up centres in Albania, though the initiative has encountered legal challenges.
Another key element of the adopted texts is the creation of a common EU list of “safe” countries. Nationals from these countries, currently including Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco and Tunisia, will face accelerated processing of asylum applications, limiting their chances of obtaining protection and facilitating potential repatriation.
Supporters of the reforms argue that the changes respond to public demand for stricter migration control. “Citizens expect us to deliver on our promises regarding migration policy, and that is exactly what we are doing,” said conservative Member of the European Parliament Lena Dupont.
Despite a reported 25 percent decrease in irregular arrivals in 2025 compared to the previous year, migration remains politically sensitive across the bloc. Anti-immigration rhetoric has intensified in recent years, bolstering nationalist and right-wing parties and influencing governments to prioritise returns and border control.
However, the measures have drawn strong criticism from humanitarian organisations and left-leaning lawmakers, who warn that the reforms risk undermining international asylum protections enshrined in the 1951 Refugee Convention, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they may face persecution or harm.
Green MEP Mélissa Camara described the legislation as “a further step in the dehumanisation of the European Union’s migration policy,” accusing the bloc of trampling on the dignity of asylum seekers.
The European Commission has rejected such criticism, insisting that any third country designated as “safe” must respect fundamental rights and international protection standards.
The final adoption of the texts underscores a broader political shift within the EU, where migration continues to shape electoral dynamics and policy debates, even as arrival numbers decline.
