euro|topics - The controversial EU Returns Directive

Main focus of Thursday, June 19, 2008

The controversial EU Returns Directive

The European Parliament has approved a new EU directive on the return of illegal immigrants. For the first time, the Returns Directive sets down minimum humanitarian standards such as a maximum six month custody period pending deportation, and school education for minors. But the directive has also met with criticism, among other things for establishing a Europe-wide reentry ban for deported migrants.

Trouw - Netherlands

Trouw newspaper sees the new EU Returns Directive as an important step to a common migration policy: "Giving illegal immigrants the right to food, accomodation and legal aid; preventing them from being imprisoned without restriction; providing education for their children: in civilised countries such treatment of illegal immigrants is a matter of course. Nevertheless it is heartening that the European Parliament gave its approval yesterday to establishing these measures in a directive. .. But no less important is that these regulations should be understood as an unmistakable step toward a European migration policy. Such a common directive is important for ensuring an effective and humane reaction to migration. Letting every country fend for itself is no solution. The purpose of Europe is not just to pass agreeable measures. ... Above all, Europe means finding amenable solutions to cross- border problems, such as establishing a highly necessary migration policy." (19/06/2008)

Ta Nea - Greece

The Athens-based newspaper Ta Nea describes the European Parliament's decision on how to deal with illegal immigrants as a nasty surprise. "But worst of all is that Europe is trying to solve a humanitarian problem solely through police measures ... and believes that the creation of Guantánamos in Europe will deter illegal immigrants. ... As if these people were coming to Europe for a holiday instead of because life in their home countries holds no hope for them. ... As long as immigrants serve the interests of rich countries as cheap labour they are tolerated. But those who are not needed are handed over to the security forces." (19/06/2008)

Gazeta Wyborcza - Poland

Dominika Pszczólkowska comments on the Returns Directive: "Yesterday's decision by the European Parliament means that for the first time, the countries of the European Union have common regulations for dealing with and deporting immigrants. Western European countries like France and the Netherlands, which are the immigrants' most frequent destinations, have sought such a solution for some time now. The lack of common guidelines had caused immigrants to travel to those destinations with the most advantageous policies. ... Nevertheless, human rights organisations have condemned yesterday's decision as scandalous, arguing that the new regulations will cause new arrivals to be treated less humanely throughout the EU." (19/06/2008)

El País - Spain

Lluís Bassets comments on the European Parliament 's approval of the draft Returns Directive: "The ease with which a clear majority can be won over to restricting immigration stands in stark contrast to the difficulty of convincing Europeans of the necessity of raising expenditures for defence, of maintaining peace missions abroad and of playing an active role internationally. Restricting immigration is popular, raising the defence budget is not. And this is true for both the Left and the Right. There are right-wing demagogues who fan xenophobia but who would not give a penny for European defence. And there are the do-gooders on the Left for whom the military may only be used for peace-keeping missions, but who do not hesitate to support the Returns Directive." (19/06/2008)

» To the complete press review of Thursday, June 19, 2008

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