UN rights chief Volker Turk condemns EU's new migrant return rules

The European Union approved a new migration return law that creates “return hubs” outside the bloc, expands detention powers up to two years and seeks to speed up deportations. The legislation applies to all 27 member states and is presented as a response to declining asylum‑seeker arrivals and political pressure.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said he “deeply regretted” the rules, warning that they must fully respect international human‑rights and refugee law, especially the principle of non‑refoulement. He stressed that EU states cannot outsource their human‑rights obligations to third countries, that vulnerable people – including children – require individual assessments, and that robust monitoring and accountability are essential. Turk noted that fewer than 30 % of ordered removals are actually carried out and called for the public debate on migration to remain fact‑based and protect migrants’ dignity and contributions to European societies.