The Commission welcomes today's political agreement between the European Parliament and the Council on the Regulation establishing a new Common European System for Returns. Proposed by the Commission in March 2025, the new rules on returns are a key deliverable under this Commission's political guidelines and the European Asylum and Migration Management Strategy. It is a core element of the EU's comprehensive approach on migration, complementing the Pact on Migration and Asylum.
The Return Regulation will give Member States the tools necessary to make returns more efficient, with swifter, simpler and more effective procedures across the European Union, in full respect of fundamental rights.
The new common rules include:
- A truly European system in the form of a Regulation, with common procedures for the issuance of return decisions and a European Return Order, ending the current fragmentation at EU level.
- Mutual Recognition of return decisions, with Member States now able to recognise and directly enforce a return decision issued by another Member State.
- Stronger rules on forced return, which becomes mandatory when an illegally staying person poses a security risk, fails to cooperate, absconds to another Member State, or does not voluntarily leave the EU by a mandated deadline. At the same time, the Regulation encourages voluntary return through strengthened return and reintegration assistance.
- Stricter rules against absconding, including the possibility to require returnees to provide financial guarantees, report regularly or reside at a designated place.
- Stronger rules for people posing a security risk so that they can be identified and returned faster.
- The Regulation also introduces the possibility to set up return hubs in third countries, where people with no legal right to stay in the EU and subject to a return decision can be returned. For this, agreements or arrangements can be concluded with a third country that respects international human rights standards and principles in accordance with international law, including the principle of non-refoulement.
- Strong safeguards throughout the entire return process: all measures related to return must be carried out in full respect of fundamental and international human rights standards.
Next steps
The Regulation must be formally adopted by the European Parliament and the Council before it enters into force, which will happen after publication in the Official Journal of the EU. The Regulation replaces the existing Return Directive from 2008.
Background
Although the return rate increased to 28% in 2025 – the highest return rate in the past 10 years – the number of effective returns is still too low and the effectiveness of the return system must be further improved. The new rules agreed today do exactly that – they will help Member States increase the return of persons without a legal right to stay in the EU, with simpler, faster and more effective procedures.
In parallel, the Commission, together with Member States, is continuing to work with third countries to increase cooperation on readmission and return. This includes the use of incentives, such as readmission instruments, financing tools, visa and trade policy as part of the EU's migration diplomacy outreach to third countries.
