New Pact on Migration and Asylum

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the Commission plans to introduce new legislative measures aimed at facilitating the return of illegal migrants. Migration was a key issue during the European leaders' meeting that concluded last night. She noted that currently, only 20% of those not eligible to stay in the EU are being returned to their countries of origin.

A Greek official on Tuesday criticized the outgoing European Commission for failing to forge a common policy to deport migrants, and she warned that war and climate change were increasing global displacement.

Sofia Voultepsi, a deputy minister for migration, said that a landmark European Union migration pact agreed upon earlier this year remained lacking in practical terms.

Migration policy in most European Union member states has become a nagging issue, heard not just as far away as Brussels but also as far away as Luxembourg, where the 27 interior and justice ministers of EU member states are meeting today.

EU countries on Thursday discussed "innovative" ways to increase deportations of irregular migrants and rejected asylum seekers, including controversial plans to set up dedicated return centers outside the bloc.