The European Commission is working on a proposal for a common European return system that would make migrant return procedures faster, but also more punitive — with longer detention, stricter conditions and even the creation of return hubs in third countries. 

The European Commission argues that only 20% of deportation orders are enforced, making the system “ineffective”, according to the president Ursula von der Leyen. However, this definition of effectiveness is problematic: reducing it to a simple question of the number of deportations actually enforced prioritises coercion over protection, thus favouring forced returns and ignoring both human rights and more sustainable alternatives. 

This article was originally published on The Conversation.