EU lawmakers and members agreed in principle on Monday to tightening asylum rules and allowing the establishment of "return hubs" outside the bloc, amid growing sentiment against migration.
The deal, proposed by the European Commission in 2025, comes as far-right parties across the EU have been growing in popularity and have pushed 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
