European Union lawmakers and members agreed in principle on Monday on a new deal tightening migration rules and allowing the establishment of so-called "return hubs" outside the bloc, amid growing sentiment against illegal migration.
The deal, proposed by the European Commission last year, comes as far-right parties across the bloc have been growing in popularity and as public opinion has been pushing for a tougher stance on illegal migration.
The German DPA news agency reported that the deal was moved forward with the support of right-wing parties in the European Parliament, an unusual move.
The agreement comes even as irregular arrivals into the EU fell 26% in 2025, their lowest level since 2021. EU officials, however, argue that the problem now is governments' struggle to enforce deportation orders, with fewer than 30% being carried out.
The legislation still requires formal approval by EU governments and the European Parliament.How the EU compromised its values on migrationTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
