The European Union has cleared the way for the establishment of deportation centres outside the bloc, following a provisional agreement between the European Parliament and EU member states.
The deal was reached on Monday evening by representatives of the European Parliament and the governments of EU countries, according to Cyprus, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Under the agreement, rejected asylum seekers who cannot be returned to their countries of origin could be transferred to "return hubs" outside the European Union.
The measure would apply in cases where a migrant's home country refuses to accept their return or where an EU member state does not maintain diplomatic relations with the country concerned.
It remains unclear where such centres could be established.
The aim is to increase deportations and reduce the number of migrants in the EU who are under an obligation to leave but remain in the bloc.
Under the new rules, unaccompanied minors would not be subject to deportation to return centres. Families with children, however, could be transferred under the scheme.
A prerequisite for these deportations will be the existence of a corresponding agreement with the non-EU country. This country would then accommodate the refugees and, in return, would likely receive financial compensation or preferential treatment regarding visa issuance.
The European Parliament's plenary and EU member states must still formally approve the agreement.
Germany, together with Greece, Austria, the Netherlands and Denmark, has been pushing for the plans.
Italy has already signed a contested agreement with Albania to house asylum seekers in the Western Balkan nation.
New obligations for rejected asylum seekers
Monday's agreement also includes tougher rules for rejected asylum seekers, with the aim of speeding up the deportation of those who can be returned to their countries of origin.
Under the plans, rejected asylum seekers would be required to cooperate more closely with authorities or risk being detained pending deportation. Those who fail to comply could also face reductions or the withdrawal of welfare benefits, as well as the confiscation of travel documents.
The new rules would also allow detention if authorities consider a migrant a flight risk or a threat to national security. The maximum detention period would be extended to 24 months, with a possible six-month extension in exceptional cases, according to people involved in the negotiations.
EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner welcomed the deal, saying the new rules would give authorities "more control over who can come to the EU, who can stay, and who needs to leave."
The plans are considered controversial as they have been moved forward with the support of right-wing parties in the European Parliament – contrary to the usual practice of seeking a majority among centrist forces.
As first reported by dpa, representatives from the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) were in touch with representatives from far-right factions in parliament to align their positions on the bill, including through a group chat on WhatsApp.
