Brussels Panel Confronts Human Rights Risks in EU Return Policy Reform

On 25 June 2025, a timely and critical panel discussion took place at the Press Club Brussels under the title “Returns Under Pressure: What’s at Stake in the EU Return Proposal?”. Organised by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), the event featured high-profile speakers including Cecelia Strada (Member of the European Parliament, S&D), Ewa Kiewra (Counsellor, Permanent Representation of Poland to the EU), and Florian Trauner (Dean, Brussels School of Governance, VUB). Reshad Jalali (Senior Policy Officer, ECRE), presented the analysis of the organization on the proposal. The panel was moderated by Mariza Koronioti, Advocacy and Policy Coordinator at JRS Europe.

The discussion centred around the European Commission’s proposal to reform the 2008 Return Directive, published on 11 March 2025. This proposal, aimed at increasing the number of third-country nationals returned from the EU, introduces a set of restrictive legal measures that have triggered concerns among human rights advocates and legal experts.

ECRE opened the event with an in-depth presentation of the proposal, highlighting its potential repercussions for fundamental rights and adding important recommendations. Among the most contentious elements of the draft regulation are the creation of “return hubs” in third countries, a new European return order, mutual recognition of return decisions among Member States, expanded grounds and timeframes for detention, and the removal of automatic suspensive effects for appeals. The proposed regulation also places increased obligations on individuals in return procedures, raising concerns about compliance with international law and the principle of non-refoulement.

The event brought together MEPs, Member State representatives, civil society organisations, and UN agencies, creating a much-needed space for dialogue and exchange of views on this complex and politically charged aspect of EU migration policy. While participants held differing perspectives on the path forward, there was broad agreement on key issues of concern.

Moderating the discussion, JRS Europe Advocacy and Policy Coordinator, Mariza Koronioti stressed that the harmonisation of return policies must not come at the expense of human rights. She warned that the expansion of detention must be avoided at all costs and highlighted the significant legal and practical uncertainties embedded in the current proposal—an initiative, she noted, was rushed under the pretext of urgency. These deficiencies, she cautioned, could open the door to serious and widespread human rights violations.

As EU institutions continue to negotiate the proposal, the debate highlighted during the panel underscores the urgent need for a return policy that is not only effective but also lawful and humane. The voices gathered in Brussels made clear that any reform must be rooted in legal safeguards, procedural fairness, and a firm commitment to the EU’s foundational values.