Germany, France, and other EU member states are advocating for the expedited return of migrants

According to a document, seventeen European countries urged the European Commission on Friday to enhance the EU’s regulations regarding the return of irregular migrants to their countries of origin. This request was made one week prior to a summit that is expected to address migration.

The letter to the executive authority of the bloc was signed by 14 of the 27 EU member states, including Germany, France, and Italy, as well as three countries from the European passport-free Schengen area – Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

It followed a series of elections throughout the EU that were primarily focused on the issue of migration, as well as indications of increasing support in certain regions of the continent for parties advocating for more stringent controls.

“The primary message that all signatories concur on is the necessity of a more stringent EU returns system, with clearer obligations for cooperation from the returnees and less interpretation by the European Court of Justice,” stated a diplomat from one of the EU states that signed the letter.

The diplomat, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the subject, further stated that the signatories contended that the current regulations allow for an excessive amount of interpretation, which is increasingly delegated to judges rather than elected governments.

The European Commission did not provide an immediate response. However, migration is expected to be a significant issue in the German parliamentary elections next September, and it will likely dominate the agenda for the new Commission that is expected to take office in December.

After Germany reinstated provisional border checks last month, it is probable that migration will be discussed by EU leaders during their October 17-18 meeting. Michel Barnier, the French Prime Minister, has stated that Paris would evaluate comparable steps.

The coalition government of Germany has intensified its stance on migration in response to a surge in arrivals and a rise in support for the opposition hard-right and conservatives.

OBLIGATIONS AND CONTROLS

The Freedom Party, which is anti-immigration, Eurosceptic, and pro-Russia, secured its inaugural general election victory in Austria last week.

After a decade of negotiations, the European Union reached a significant agreement late last year on the distribution of the costs and responsibilities associated with the care of migrants. The paper, which was viewed by Reuters, contends that the returns policy requires refinement.

The paper stated that individuals who are not entitled to remain must be held accountable.

It requested that the Commission propose a new law that would explicitly state that a government has the authority to detain an irregular migrant who is a threat to national security. This option has been under discussion since 2018 but has not yet been implemented.

The administration of migrant cases was also urged to be digitally harmonised to ensure that all countries utilize the same software. This would assist in the identification and management of the same irregular migrants who appear in multiple EU countries.

Ultimately, it urged the Commission to suggest that migrants be obligated to collaborate with authorities.

“It is still too common now for return procedures to be suspended because persons do not cooperate in identification, or disappear off the radar, or repeatedly launch appeals,” the diplomatic representative stated.