European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has unveiled new legislation aimed at expelling a greater number of migrants who do not possess the necessary authorization to remain within the European Union.
In a letter addressed to capitals, Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the importance of effective returns for non-EU individuals in order to ensure the sustainability of the EU’s migration policy.
Unfortunately, the number of third country nationals who have actually returned after being ordered to leave is only about 20%.
In her statement, she wrote that the new law aims to clearly outline the responsibilities of individuals returning and simplify the process of returning.
The new migration commissioner, set to assume office at the end of the year, must prioritize the drafting of the proposal.
In a letter sent prior to the EU leaders’ summit in Brussels, which is scheduled to begin on Thursday, von der Leyen expressed her concerns about the displacement of individuals due to the conflict in the Middle East.
According to the author, over 1 million individuals have been displaced in the past few weeks, with a possibility of even more international displacement in the future. The author emphasizes the need for EU leaders to focus on contingency planning in response to this situation.
The upcoming EU summit is expected to be focused on migration, following Poland’s recent announcement to temporarily suspend the right to asylum.
The Polish government has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko of deliberately pushing migrants towards the Polish border. Warsaw believes that this action is intended to create instability within the European Union and undermine its security.
The president of the commission also indirectly expressed criticism towards the border controls being conducted by Germany within the Schengen area, which is a visa-free travel zone within the bloc.
In her message, she emphasized that the reintroduction of border controls should only be considered as a last resort.