The clock is ticking on one of the EU’s most controversial measures in years — tougher rules on returning failed asylum seekers. But instead of unity, the European Parliament is showing political division. And key opponents of the proposal didn’t even show up for the latest round of talks.
The second trilogue on the Return Regulation took place in Brussels this week, as negotiations on one of the key pieces of the Migration and Asylum Pact are moving towards the final stages.
The file is now under growing time pressure. The full Pact is set to enter into force in June, which leaves only a narrow window to finalise politically sensitive parts of the legislation — including how the EU handles the return of migrants whose asylum claims have been rejected.
The Return Regulation is a priority for the Cyprus Presidency, ending its rotation in July. “Our goal is to adopt a functional and effective legal framework, which will contribute to the increase of return rates across the EU. We remain determined to reach an agreement on the Return Regulation before the end of our presidency,” stated a Cyprus Presidency spokesperson.
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Technical progress in talks
The meeting, chaired by Nicholas A. Ioannides, Cyprus’ Deputy Minister for Migration and International Protection, together with the European Commission and the European Parliament, followed an initial trilogue held in March.
Discussions focused on several core elements of the regulation, including mutual recognition of return decisions, entry into force, communication with non-recognised third-country entities, and broader cooperation with non-EU partners.
According to EU sources, the tone was “constructive”, with both co-legislators exploring their positions in more detail and some technical progress made on the file.
Critics stay away
But the Parliament’s presence at the table was uneven. While rapporteur Malik Azmani (Renew/NLD) and several shadow rapporteurs attended the negotiations, parts of the political groups that have been most critical of the proposed rules on returning migrants—notably the Greens and The Left—did not.
At this stage of the negotiations, such gaps matter. As the political framing of the file is being shaped, the absence of key critical voices risks weakening the Parliament’s ability to project a coherent position. By contrast, representatives from centre-right and right-wing groups have been consistently present. Some — including Charlie Weimers (ECR/SWE) who has publicly welcomed “the era of deportations” —actively pushing for a tougher line.
Technical work will now continue between institutions, with the next political trilogue provisionally scheduled for 1 June.
