Von der Leyen will bring up the creation of deportation centers outside the EU at leaders’ summit

In the letter circulated in capitals and collected by Europa Press, von der Leyen asked European heads of state and government “Keep exploring possible avenues of progress” “Towards the idea of ​​creating return centers outside the EU”.

The head of the Community Executive, who will begin her second term in December, reminds the 27th that her new college will have a specific commissioner for the Mediterranean, to whom she plans to submit a proposal to improve the returns directive, the review Is. Which had already been planned in this legislature but whose negotiations had not started between the Council and the European Parliament.

In this context, von der Leyen opens up about solutions that she defines as “innovative” to move towards the creation of deportation centers to relocate irregular migrants who are already on European soil. but have arrived outside the EU while their files are processed; Despite the fact that this option had already been rejected by Brussels due to conflict with the rights of asylum seekers.

Now, von der Leyen in her letter to EU leaders cites as an example the agreement made by the Italian government of Georgia Meloni with Albania to open centers to transfer those migrants to this country. You can visit those who have already requested asylum in Italy while they process your requests. , “With the start of the Protocol operationalization between Italy and Albania we will be able to draw lessons from this practical experience,” says the Commission President.

In any case, the German conservatives also point out that in order to move forward in this area, their executive will also address a review of the definition of “safe third country” in the “next year”, an issue that is also controversial due to division. This arises within the 27, but von der Leyen considers it necessary “to help asylum seekers without having to embark on a dangerous journey across the Mediterranean”.

This reflection, he defended, would be carried out in collaboration with international organizations such as the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with the aim of achieving a “comprehensive approach” to the concept.

Sanctions on countries that do not cooperate

Apart from this point, von der Leyen points out other keys that in her opinion should mark the Union’s migration agenda, including accelerating the application of parts of the Migration and Asylum Treaty; A Closed correction ‘at its peak’ At the end of this legislature and whose entry is scheduled for 2026.

It also defends agreements such as “key partners” Egypt, Morocco and Algeria and agreements with countries such as Tunisia and Libya, with which Brussels has cut aid schemes in return for curbing migrant flows.

It also defends that, in addition to intensifying cooperation with third parties, the 27 should proceed in the use of other measures to penalize those third countries of origin or transit that make returns difficult, For example restricting visa policy as has already been done. Or resorting to trade sanctions.

“The EU should be prepared to use not only visa policy but also other areas such as trade as a lever,” von der Leyen asked in the letter. Non-reciprocating tariff-free tariffs on products coming from developing countries.

These issues had already reached the EU interior ministers’ meeting held in Luxembourg last week, where in a closed-door lunch they addressed the possibility of deportation centers in third countries as an alternative to expediting expulsions Was.

As a starting point for discussions, ministers received a working document prepared by Hungary’s rotating presidency this semester and which advocated considering “legally, operationally and diplomatically concrete” solutions to the migration of migrants. Will allow sending to any third country. Safe” until his final expulsion is resolved or until he agrees to return on a “voluntary” basis.

Another idea that the Hungarian president is putting on the table is greater stringency and speed in the expulsion of people who have been convicted of a crime or are considered a “threat to security.”

Furthermore, it calls for improving the application of “legitimate” instruments the EU already has, such as the possibility to penalize countries of origin or transit that do not cooperate adequately in return programmes, e.g. By already tightening the visa policy for. With Gambia and Ethiopia.

This first discussion was the result of an impulse from a group of 14 EU countries (including Austria, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Italy), who have requested reform of a new returns directive in another document. Legal framework that “facilitates and expedites” evictions. Norway, Sweden and Liechtenstein, which are not members of the European Union but are members of the borderless Schengen area, also sign this position.

The letter asks the Community Executive to review its own proposal for a “paradigm change” to the return process that limits the “responsibilities” of migrants coming to the EU irregularly, in order to protect their “rights and The rights and responsibilities are clear so that if there is lack of cooperation, one has to face consequences and be punished.