European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a press conference at the Berlin Process Summit, in Berlin, Germany, October 14, 2024. LISI NIESNER / REUTERS
The European Commission will propose new legislation for increasing deportations of irregular migrants, commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday, October 14, in a letter to the bloc.
"The Commission will present a new proposal for legislation that would define clear obligations of cooperation for the returnee, and effectively streamline the process of returns," she wrote in response to demands from several EU member states.
"But we will need a new legal framework to step up our capacity to act," added von der Leyen in the letter sent to the EU member nations ahead of a European summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, part of which will be dedicated to migration.
She said the bloc needed "to build a level of harmonization and trust" to facilitate the deportation of irregular migrants so that each member country recognizes the decisions taken by the others.
That would ensure that "migrants who have a return decision against them in one country cannot exploit cracks in the system to avoid return elsewhere".
Roughly 20% of expulsion orders given to irregular migrants are enforced, von der Leyen said, promising better cooperation with third-party countries in receiving expelled migrants, in part through a toughened stance on visa policy.
"Visa policy alignment has proven to be an important tool to manage irregular movements towards the EU," said the EU chief.
Le Monde with AFP
