UN Human Rights Chief Warns EU Return‑Center Law Risks Migrant Rights

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Folkert Turk said he deeply regrets the European Union’s new regulation on the return of migrants who have not received asylum. The legislation, approved by the European Parliament on Wednesday, allows member states to set up “return centres” outside EU borders and to transfer obligations to third countries.

Turk warned that “countries of the European Union cannot simply shift their obligations to third countries” and that “the detention and return of vulnerable persons, including children, entails high risks of human‑rights violations.” He stressed the principle of non‑refoulement, noting that no one should be sent to a place where serious violations are likely. About 20 % of expulsions in the EU currently end in return, and the new law aims to increase expulsions, drawing criticism from left‑wing MEPs and NGOs.

The commissioner called for “particular attention to the protection of human dignity and the rule of law” in applying the new measures.