Migrant Deportation Centers Outside the EU: European Parliament Approves New Return Rules

On June 17, the European Parliament voted to establish migrant return centers in third countries outside the EU. Find out how the vote went, who supported the reform, and when the first such centers might open

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On June 17, Members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg gave final approval to new migration rules that will expand the EU’s authority to detain migrants and allow for the establishment of deportation centers outside the bloc. Euractiv reports on this.

The vote reflected a clear political divide in the Parliament: 418 members voted “in favor,” 218 voted “against,” and 30 abstained.

Read also: Is Ukraine asking Europe to lift protections for men subject to military service? The EU has made an important statement.

Who supported the reform, and who opposed it?

The center-right European People’s Party (EPP), the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), as well as the far-right groups “Patriots for Europe” (PfE) and “Europe of Sovereign Nations” (ESN) voted in favor of the law.

In contrast, the Social Democrats and left-wing factions opposed it, calling the reform “a dark chapter in Europe’s history.” Human rights organizations have joined the critics, pointing to the failed international experience of similar projects: the British deportation scheme to Rwanda and the Italian centers in Albania have faced serious legal challenges and proven ineffective in practice.

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When might the first return centers open?

Once the decision is approved by the Council of the EU, the first return centers for migrants subject to a lifetime ban on entry into the EU could open as early as 2027.

The adoption of these rules comes amid broader discussions about the future of the EU’s migration system—in particular, regarding the status of more than 4 million Ukrainians under temporary protection and the implementation of the new Pact on Migration and Asylum, which entered into force on June 12.

Tip: If you’re planning a trip or are currently abroad, don’t forget to get travel health insurance; you can do this online through Visit Ukraine.

We remind you! On June 12, the new Pact on Migration and Asylum officially came into effect in the EU—the bloc’s most significant update to its migration system in decades. Read what the reform entails, why Spain and Poland opposed certain provisions, and how the changes affect Ukrainians.

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