Latest news with #ReturnDirective
Euronews
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
From Ukraine to migration - four European Parliament debates to follow
Military aid to Ukraine, migrant returns and reduction of bureaucracy on the table for MEPs. ADVERTISEMENT Amid growing tensions between Europe and the US, and between two crucial summits of EU leaders on defence, MEPs are heading to Strasbourg for a plenary session packed with controversial debates. Here is a selection of the most interesting topics to follow. Military aid to Ukraine On Wednesday, March 12, MEPs will vote on a resolution urging the EU to maintain its support for Ukraine, even if the United States withdraws its backing. The resolution, which is non-legislative, also focuses on European contributions to the security guarantees needed to ensure peace in Ukraine after the war—an issue on which EU Member States remain deeply divided. Beyond this vote, several debates related to the Russian war in Ukraine are scheduled. On Tuesday morning, MEPs will assess the outcome of the March 6 Special European Council, while in the afternoon, discussions will centre on the upcoming white paper on the future of European defence, set to be unveiled soon by the Commission. Wednesday's agenda includes two debates: one on the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and another on the phase-out of Russian energy in EU countries. While resolutions in favour of Ukraine generally receive broad support in the chamber, debates on the topic remain nuanced. 'We are completely against deploying European troops in Ukraine,' a spokesperson for the Patriots for Europe group said during a press conference. Return of migrants On Tuesday, March 11, the European Commission is set to present the so-called 'Return Directive' in Strasbourg—a new legal framework aimed at speeding up processes for repatriating rejected asylum seekers to their countries of origin. On the same day, MEPs will give a first assessment of the proposal, which seeks to increase the return rate of third-country nationals who are not entitled to stay in the EU. Currently, only about one in four foreign nationals ordered to leave an EU member state is actually deported. A source familiar with the matter told Euronews that the Commission's proposal will not include discussion of 'return hubs'- centres outside the EU where migrants would be hosted while awaiting repatriation. The idea has been circulating after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen raised the issue. However, the debate is expected to be tense, with radical right-wing parties calling for swifter procedures and stricter policies to combat irregular migration, while left-leaning groups emphasise the need to uphold migrants' fundamental rights. Reducing bureaucracy at a faster pace On Monday, March 10, Parliament will discuss the so-called 'Omnibus Package', a recent Commission proposal aimed at cutting red tape and simplifying legislation for EU businesses and citizens. Last week, the European People's Party (EPP), the largest group in the chamber, sent a letter to the Parliament President Roberta Metsola—seen by Euronews—requesting a fast-track procedure. The EPP's goal is to quickly approve a specific part of the package, the so-called 'Stop the Clock' proposal, which seeks to postpone certain requirements on corporate sustainability and due diligence reporting. Metsola will announce the EPP's request at the session's opening, and the vote will take place in the next plenary session in April. However, the debate is expected to be heated, as the Socialists & Democrats (S&D) and Renew Europe are in no hurry to approve the new rules. A possible outcome could be an alliance between the EPP and the right-wing groups European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and Patriots for Europe (PfE)—a coalition sometimes referred to as the "Venezuela Majority." Cross-border recognition of parenthood On Wednesday, March 12, Parliament will debate a European Commission proposal to ensure that parenthood established in one EU member state is automatically recognised in all the others. However, the issue remains contentious due to concerns about children born via surrogacy and those of same-sex couples. Since surrogacy and same-sex unions are regulated differently across member states, some governments resist being required to recognize parenthood established under the laws of another country. ADVERTISEMENT As a result, an estimated two million children risk having their parents' legal status downgraded when they move to another EU country, according to Commission data. The proposal requires unanimous approval by the Council, but its not yet there. MEPs will press Council and Commission representatives in the chamber to explain why.
Euronews
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
From Ukraine to migration - four European Parliament debates to follow this week
Military aid to Ukraine, migrant returns and reduction of bureaucracy on the table for MEPs. ADVERTISEMENT Amid growing tensions between Europe and the US, and between two crucial summits of EU leaders on defence, MEPs are heading to Strasbourg for a plenary session packed with controversial debates. Here is a selection of the most interesting topics to follow. Military aid to Ukraine On Wednesday, March 12, MEPs will vote on a resolution urging the EU to maintain its support for Ukraine, even if the United States withdraws its backing. The resolution, which is non-legislative, also focuses on European contributions to the security guarantees needed to ensure peace in Ukraine after the war—an issue on which EU Member States remain deeply divided. Beyond this vote, several debates related to the Russian war in Ukraine are scheduled. On Tuesday morning, MEPs will assess the outcome of the March 6 Special European Council, while in the afternoon, discussions will centre on the upcoming white paper on the future of European defence, set to be unveiled soon by the Commission. Wednesday's agenda includes two debates: one on the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and another on the phase-out of Russian energy in EU countries. While resolutions in favour of Ukraine generally receive broad support in the chamber, debates on the topic remain nuanced. 'We are completely against deploying European troops in Ukraine,' a spokesperson for the Patriots for Europe group said during a press conference. Return of migrants On Tuesday, March 11, the European Commission is set to present the so-called 'Return Directive' in Strasbourg—a new legal framework aimed at speeding up processes for repatriating rejected asylum seekers to their countries of origin. On the same day, MEPs will give a first assessment of the proposal, which seeks to increase the return rate of third-country nationals who are not entitled to stay in the EU. Currently, only about one in four foreign nationals ordered to leave an EU member state is actually deported. A source familiar with the matter told Euronews that the Commission's proposal will not include discussion of 'return hubs'- centres outside the EU where migrants would be hosted while awaiting repatriation. The idea has been circulating after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen raised the issue. However, the debate is expected to be tense, with radical right-wing parties calling for swifter procedures and stricter policies to combat irregular migration, while left-leaning groups emphasise the need to uphold migrants' fundamental rights. Reducing bureaucracy at a faster pace On Monday, March 10, Parliament will discuss the so-called 'Omnibus Package', a recent Commission proposal aimed at cutting red tape and simplifying legislation for EU businesses and citizens. Last week, the European People's Party (EPP), the largest group in the chamber, sent a letter to the Parliament President Roberta Metsola—seen by Euronews—requesting a fast-track procedure. The EPP's goal is to quickly approve a specific part of the package, the so-called 'Stop the Clock' proposal, which seeks to postpone certain requirements on corporate sustainability and due diligence reporting. Metsola will announce the EPP's request at the session's opening, and the vote will take place in the next plenary session in April. However, the debate is expected to be heated, as the Socialists & Democrats (S&D) and Renew Europe are in no hurry to approve the new rules. A possible outcome could be an alliance between the EPP and the right-wing groups European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and Patriots for Europe (PfE)—a coalition sometimes referred to as the "Venezuela Majority." Cross-border recognition of parenthood On Wednesday, March 12, Parliament will debate a European Commission proposal to ensure that parenthood established in one EU member state is automatically recognised in all the others. However, the issue remains contentious due to concerns about children born via surrogacy and those of same-sex couples. Since surrogacy and same-sex unions are regulated differently across member states, some governments resist being required to recognize parenthood established under the laws of another country. ADVERTISEMENT As a result, an estimated two million children risk having their parents' legal status downgraded when they move to another EU country, according to Commission data. The proposal requires unanimous approval by the Council, but its not yet there. MEPs will press Council and Commission representatives in the chamber to explain why.
Euronews
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
EU asylum requests down by 11% in 2024, but still exceed one million
The number of asylum applications registered across the European Union, Norway and Switzerland decreased by 11% in 2024 but remained above the one-million mark for a second consecutive year, according to the annual report released by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) on Monday morning. Overall, 1,014,420 requests for international protection were filed last year, compared to the 1,143,437 requests recorded in 2023. Notably, the report shows that almost half (48%) of the one million applications were submitted by citizenships with historically low chances of a successful decision, suggesting they are likely to be eventually turned down by national authorities. The trend is set to compound the recurring worries of EU member states, which have asked Brussels to reform the current legislation to speed up the deportation of rejected asylum seekers, such as economic migrants who come to the continent searching for better living conditions rather than escaping persecution or ill-treatment. The European Commission has endorsed the contentious idea of building camps (also known as "return hubs") outside EU territory to transfer those whose applications are denied. A revamped Return Directive is expected to be unveiled later this month. In line with recent years, Syrians, Afghans, Venezuelans, Turks, and Colombians represented the largest groups of applicants in 2024, according to the EUAA report. Syrian requests (151,000) went down by 17% in total and 24% in Germany, the main host country. The change is not directly linked to the fall of Bashar al-Assad's autocracy, which happened only in December and whose effects are yet to fully materialise. Claims by Afghans (87,382), Turks (55,705) and Colombians (51,529) also declined. By contrast, Venezuelan applications rose to 73,187, a record-high figure since at least 2014. The vast majority of these (90%) were lodged in Spain. As a result of ongoing conflict in the Central Sahel region, Spain experienced extraordinary migratory pressure in the Canary Islands. Applications from citizens of Mali (17,000) and Senegal (14,000) doubled in size from the previous year. Ukrainians fleeing Russia's war lodged 27,000 asylum requests in 2024, a 90% rise compared to 2023. The pronounced rise is linked to the Temporary Protection Directive, a special regime that applies to Ukrainian citizens and is set to expire in March 2026. Applying for asylum can provide a long-term alternative to the directive. Regarding destination countries, Germany remained clearly at the top with over 237,000 applications in 2024. The tally, though, represents a 29% drop compared to 2023. Irregular migration was one of the issues that dominated the debate of the parliamentary elections in February. Friedrich Merz, the conservative leader poised to become the next chancellor, has promised a dramatic tightening of Germany's migration and asylum laws. Germany was followed by Spain (165,767 requests), Italy (158,867), France (158,730), Greece (73,688), Belgium (39,206) and the Netherlands (33,437) as main destinations. Cyprus, a small island in the Mediterranean, saw the largest number of asylum claims per capita: one for every 138 residents. Meanwhile, Hungary received only 29 applications in 2024 due to its long-standing restrictions to the right of asylum, which the European Court of Justice ruled to be an "unprecedented and exceptionally serious breach of EU law." Hungary is currently the subject of a multi-million fine by the ECJ that is gradually deducted from the country's allocated share of the EU budget. The recognition rate – the chances of a successful application – stood at 42% last year, virtually unchanged. Syrians (90%), Malians (84%), Eritreans (81%), Ukrainians (80%), Afghans (63%) and Somalis (60%) had the highest recognition rates. The rate is far from uniform and varies according to the country that examines the claim. For instance, Afghans who applied in Greece had a 98% recognition rate, while those who applied in Belgium had a much lower rate of 39%. Countries with a low recognition rate – below 20% – included Turkey, Nigeria, Pakistan, Colombia, Tunisia, Morocco, Bangladesh, Georgia, Peru, Egypt and Venezuela. The total number of pending cases stood at 981,000 at the end of 2024, a particularly elevated figure that matches the peak seen during the 2016 migration crisis. For years, the EU has tried to curb the number of applicants with a low recognition rate to avoid overwhelming authorities with cases that are unlikely to succeed. Brussels has signed EU-funded deals with Tunisia, Egypt and Lebanon to strengthen border controls and prevent the departure of irregular migrants. But a closer look at the 2024 stats shows the limitations of this approach. According to Frontex, the EU's border guard agency, there were 239,000 irregular border crossings last year, a 38% drop. This means the majority of the 1,014,420 asylum applications filed in 2024 came from people who arrived in the bloc through legal routes.
