The review of the legal framework for more “effective” returns of those who are not entitled to remain in the EU, is requested by seventeen countries belonging to the Schengen area.

Ahead of Thursday’s Council of EU Interior Ministers in Luxembourg and the October 17-18 Summit, where the issue of the return of illegal immigrants will be high on the agenda, seventeen European countries have prepared a ‘Non-Paper’ discussion document, with the aim of revising the current legislation on this issue. The document was drafted by the Netherlands and Austria and is supported by France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Malta, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Croatia and Lithuania. as well as Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

More specifically, these countries are calling for a “new legal basis” which “will clearly define the obligations and duties” for third-country nationals who are the subject of a return decision. They also call for a new legal basis that responds to real challenges and developments and reflects the needs of Member States and Associated States, “taking full account of the flexibility of countries to ensure effective returns. For example, by further supporting digitization and streamlining processes.”