The European Parliament has just voted to adopt the Return Regulation, despite explicit and urgent warnings from the European trade union movement and civil society organisations.
This is not a victory for “control.” It is a profound defeat for human dignity and the right to asylum.
By passing this text, Europe is choosing the path of cruelty and cynicism:
The creation of offshore “Return Hubs” means outsourcing our responsibilities to third countries, effectively hiding human beings away from public scrutiny and human rights safeguards.
The expansion of detention frameworks, which now explicitly allow the confinement of families and even unaccompanied minors for up to two years is a stain on Europe’s foundational values.
Irregular migration was never the result of “weak borders.” It is the direct consequence of people running away from poverty, hunger, and conflicts. It is the result of restrictive rules, broken permit systems, and understaffed administrations. Today’s vote doubles down on blind restriction instead of fixing these root causes’says Enrico Somaglia, EFFAT secretary General
Furthermore, by denying people legal, safe pathways and forcing them into a state of permanent illegality and fear of deportation, this regulation deliberately creates an underclass of precarious individuals. These conditions leave vulnerable workers as easy prey for extreme exploitation in a spiral of systemic labor violations across Europe.
We won’t stop here. Alongside the European trade unions, we will keep fighting for serious investment in public services, and for the fundamental rights and equal treamnebt of all workers in Europe.
