EU to debate whether to set up centers abroad for migrants

Brussels (EFE).- Barely five months have passed since the adoption of the European Pact on Migration and Asylum, European Union (EU) leaders met this Thursday to move forward in the fight against irregular migration, in which “innovative ” Are included. Sources”, such as the Center for the Identification and Detention of Migrants in Third Countries.

Migration will be one of the main topics of the European summit with union leaders also talking about Ukraine and the Middle East.

Although the EU has provided itself with a migration treaty, which is a framework to manage the arrival of migrants in a predictable and systematic manner, this complex legislative package will not begin to be implemented until 2026, a horizon that some Member States are not willing to implement. See as far as possible and want to move forward. Ahead.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in an invitation letter to European leaders this week that Brussels supports the idea of ​​accelerating the implementation of the agreement.

“The Commission is keen to accelerate the implementation of certain elements of the agreement,” von der Leyen said, stressing that accelerating implementation would, among other things, enable better management of asylum procedures and better protection of those “Reducing the interval” between procedures may help. The returnees.

Diplomatic sources indicated that some countries, such as France, are “in favor” of pushing implementation forward as much as possible, “as long as the balance between solidarity and responsibility that the migration treaty ensures is guaranteed”.

Incomplete migration agreement upon return

But in addition, France and other member states believe that the migration pact “does not suffice as a solution to existing challenges” and that it “must be completed”, especially with regard to returns.

Diplomatic sources indicated, “A new legislative brick is needed.”

The head of the Community Executive pointed out in his letter to leaders a few days ago that only 20% of third country nationals who have been ordered to leave the EU have actually returned.

And he announced that Brussels would “introduce a new legislative proposal”, which would be “one of the immediate tasks” of the future Commissioner for the Interior, a post that Austrian Magnus Brunner aspires to occupy.

Austria and the Netherlands, supported by 15 other countries in the Schengen area (Spain is not among them), recently asked the Commission to “facilitate and accelerate returns through a new common legal framework”.

This unofficial document is ratified by the Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Sweden and Slovakia, as well as Switzerland and Norway (which are not part of the EU but are in the EU). is supported. schengen)
The 17 countries called for a “paradigm change” in the return process, which imposes “obligations and duties” on those who do not cooperate in returns and which would allow migrants to be cleared in case of “lack of cooperation”. Is.

Von der Leyen said in her letter this week that the legislative proposal on returns would “define clear cooperation obligations” for the person who must be returned and “speed up” the return process.

Center for Migrants outside the European Union

Another idea that has been described as controversial by NGOs in the past and which now seems to be gaining ground in the EU is centers for migrants outside the EU, such as the one promoted in Albania by Georgia Meloni’s Italian government.

“We should continue to explore possible avenues regarding the idea of ​​developing return centers outside the EU, especially in view of a new legislative proposal on returns,” von der Leyen said in her letter, which called for “learning from Does. Agreement between Italy and Albania.

Just this Wednesday, an Italian Navy ship arrived in Albania carrying the first 16 migrants, whom Italy will detain in one of the identification and retention centers built by Rome in this Balkan country.

Differences between countries on the migration issue may mean that during the European summit countries will not be able to approve the text of the conclusions on which different delegations agreed.

Other sources indicated, “I do not deny that there is no conclusion, and merely state that there was a debate around migration”.