European Commission calls for detention of migrants waiting to be deported

TMP – 24/03/2017

The European Commission is urging EU member states to detain more migrants whose asylum cases have been rejected and who are waiting to be deported.

Speaking on 28 February , Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said European Union member states should detain migrants who have no case for asylum for up to 18 months to prevent them from disappearing before they are deported.

“Return rates have to be improved,” Avramopoulos said while he was presenting new, non-binding proposals by the European Commission. “Ultimately our aim is to reduce the number of irregular arrivals by making it clear to those migrants who are not in need of protection and who do not have a right to stay in the EU that they should not undertake a perilous journey to arrive in Europe illegally,” He continued.

Avramopoulos further added that migrants should be held in “dignified conditions” in detention.

The proposals put forth by the Commissioner are also recommending shorter appeal deadlines for rejected asylum seekers, issuing return decisions with no expiry date and allowing the detention and return of child migrants.

The Commission is also looking to set up a programme for assisted voluntary returns from Europe. It has already increased its funding to the International Organization for Migration to increase returns from Libya.