The European Union member states have agreed on a new migration policy to expedite the return of irregular migrants and to allow return hubs to be established in third countries.

The deal reached on Monday by EU countries and the European Parliament is part of the bloc’s crackdown on irregular migration and marks a significant step toward tougher rules.

Only 29 per cent of irregular migrants leave European countries, according to official figures.

“This is a really very important step in making sure that we have control over what is happening in the EU; over who comes but also who has to leave the EU,” the Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner told reporters after the deliberation.

The deportation hubs will be established after an agreement has been reached with non-EU countries.

“The next step is working more on migration diplomacy, together with third countries,” Mr Brunner said, without specifically mentioning any of the partnering countries. 

Under the new policy, return hubs can serve as locations where individuals are expected to stay or as transit bases—a shift from the current rule, which requires migrants to be returned to their country of origin or to any other country to which they have a proven connection.

The rules will not apply to unaccompanied minors, though families with children will be affected.

Some member countries have begun negotiations with potential partners to implement the proposal put forward by the European Commission in 2025.

In March, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, and Greece teamed up on the initiative. 

Meanwhile, Italy already has two centres in Albania that accommodate at least 100 migrants.

Also, irregular migrants awaiting deportation can be detained for longer than six months, up to two years, with a possible extension of another six months under the new rule. For individuals considered to pose security risks, their detention period may be extended indefinitely.

Entry bans have also been increased from five to 10 years, while those considered a security risk may get a lifetime ban.

The rule also removes the automatic suspension of deportations during ongoing legal proceedings, allowing courts to decide on a case-by-case basis whether removal should be stopped.

Most of the provisions will take effect 12 months after the rules become legally binding.

However, Eleonora Celoria from Asgi, an Italian association of legal experts, told Euronews that the provision was “vague” and “opens the doors to home raids.”

Similarly, Mélissa Camara, a member of the European Parliament from the Greens/EFA group, dismissed the agreement as “shameful,” adding, “The legal arsenal serving a xenophobic ideology is now complete.”