EU immigration reform talks to establish so-called “return centers” outside the bloc broke down on Wednesday without an agreement and talks will continue on Thursday, EU sources said.
European lawmakers and countries are expected to agree on tightening immigration rules, which were put in place in response to political pressure from the 27-nation European Union to curb migration.
Diplomatic sources said there were only a few outstanding issues that needed to be resolved primarily around the implementation timeline.
But governments and parliamentary representatives decided to reconvene on Thursday morning in the hope of reaching an agreement by then.
As negotiations were ongoing, EU migration chief Magnus Brenner wrote on social media: “People who have no right to remain in the EU must be effectively deported.”
“That’s what the new rules will provide: more control over who can join the EU, who can stay and who has to leave.”
The measures have been criticized by human rights groups, in particular allowing centers to be opened outside the EU to send migrants whose asylum claims have been rejected.
They also envision tougher penalties for migrants who refuse to leave, including detention and entry bans.
Some in the EU have questioned the effectiveness of the repatriation centres, with the NGO International Rescue Committee describing them as a “legal black hole”.
Olivia Sundberg Diez of Amnesty International said: “These proposals risk pushing more people into precarious situations and causing deep harm to migrants and the communities that welcome them.”
But some countries, including Denmark, Austria, Greece, Germany and the Netherlands, are still trying to explore options for setting up such institutions.
– Worrying questions –
As immigration numbers fall, Brussels’ focus turns to improving the repatriation system.
Currently, only about 20% of those ordered to leave actually return to their countries of origin.
The European Commission said this month that inviting Taliban officials to Brussels for talks on returning migrants to Afghanistan was fraught with practical and moral concerns.
To this end, Austria signed a migration deal with Uzbekistan in May, focusing specifically on deporting Afghans.
Supporters say deportation centers could facilitate deportation proceedings, house migrants who have no right to stay in Europe while awaiting deportation to their home countries, and act as a deterrent.
Instead, critics point to the obstacles faced by similar projects.
Britain has abandoned plans to deport undocumented migrants to Rwanda, while Italian-run facilities processing migrants in Albania face legal challenges and slow uptake.
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This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
