The EU and European Parliament on Monday agreed a controversial law aimed at speeding up the return of migrants with no legal right to stay in Europe, marking the bloc's toughest migration policy shift in decades.
Policymakers say the so-called Return Regulation is key to accelerating returns and is the cornerstone of the EU's crackdown on irregular migration.
It also reflects a broader political shift in Europe, with conservatives — sometimes backed by the far right — pushing for a tougher approach to migration.
According to official figures, only 29% of migrants with no legal right to remain in Europe leave the EU.
"This is a really very important step in making sure that we have control over what is happening in the EU, over who comes but also who has to leave the EU," Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner told reporters at the end of the talks.
