Currently, there are 27 different systems for returning migrants within the European Union. As a result, only one in five return orders is actually enforced. The European Commission has proposed a common European return system aimed at making procedures faster, simpler, and more effective. The new regulations will complement the migration and asylum pact adopted last year. However, according to MEP Arkadiusz Mularczyk, “this does not solve all problems. Strict control and support for countries are necessary to prevent further migration.”
According to Eurostat data, in 2023, 9% of people living in EU countries were foreigners—3% were citizens of another EU country, while 6% came from non-EU countries. In 2022, 5.1 million migrants arrived in the EU from non-EU countries, more than twice the number in 2021. The actual figures are significantly higher, especially considering illegal migration. Eurostat data shows that in 2023, 1.265 million non-EU citizens were illegally residing in the European Union, marking a 13% increase compared to the previous year. The largest group consisted of Syrians (252,900 people, a 28.4% increase from 2022).
“Migrants are one of the main issues in Europe, especially within the European Union. The problem began in 2015 with Chancellor Merkel’s policy, which opened the EU to migrants, expecting them to fill labor market gaps. At the time, it was a very fashionable and popular EU policy—open doors for migrants from the Middle East and Africa. Today, after nearly eight to nine years, we see that this policy has caused great harm to the EU,” said Arkadiusz Mularczyk, an MEP from Poland’s Law and Justice (PiS) party, in an interview with Newseria.
The European Commission has proposed a common European return system with new legal frameworks designed to make return procedures across the EU faster, simpler, and more effective. Returns will apply to non-EU citizens who do not have a legal right to stay in the EU. The regulations, intended to supplement the migration pact adopted in 2024, include mutual recognition of return decisions between member states, clear rules for forced returns, and incentives for voluntary returns. Currently, only one in five deportation orders is successfully executed.
The regulations also introduce the possibility of establishing return centers in third countries, where individuals with return orders residing illegally in the EU could be transferred.
“Europe is trying to solve the migrant issue by sending people it previously accepted to neighboring countries,” notes the PiS MEP. “It seems that countries that created this situation now want others to deal with it, including Poland, which we absolutely cannot agree to.”
The migration pact approved in 2024 stipulates that all EU member states must share responsibility for managing migration. This includes a mandatory solidarity mechanism, requiring the relocation of at least 30,000 people annually. However, according to the PiS MEP, migration policy should focus on supporting poorer countries to prevent migration in the first place.
“The European Union should identify the countries with the highest number of refugees and try to help them through various programs so that people remain where they were born. It is essential to provide assistance locally, initiate programs for these countries, and engage people there so that they do not attempt to migrate to Europe, where they often struggle to adapt, find work, or function according to social norms, which frequently leads to serious social problems,” explains Arkadiusz Mularczyk. “Many African and Middle Eastern countries are impoverished, often affected by conflicts or wars. Their governments sometimes push people to leave.”
To better manage migration and mobility across various migration routes, address challenges, and take advantage of opportunities arising from international migration, as well as promote safe and legal alternatives to illegal migration, the EU cooperates with third countries and international partners at bilateral, regional, and multilateral levels. The European Union also focuses on returning migrants who are illegally residing in the EU to their home countries, supporting voluntary returns, and ensuring sustainable reintegration in their countries of origin. However, according to the PiS MEP, these measures are insufficient.
“The EU’s foreign policy, including economic policy, should analyze the reasons why people leave their countries and engage in discussions with local authorities about how to help so that people do not migrate to the EU. This involves investing in education and basic infrastructure—water supply, sanitation, healthcare—to enable normal living conditions in their home countries. This is a very rational approach because investing in these areas fosters positive relations with these countries,” argues the PiS MEP.
Besides supporting third countries, an appropriate policy for controlling those who have already arrived in Europe is also necessary. Currently, this system does not always function effectively.
“There must be relatively strict control over these individuals—what they are doing, where they are staying, their occupations, and whether they pose social problems or break the law. If they violate the law, they must be expelled. If they can work and contribute to the prosperity of a given country, they should be allowed to stay. However, it is crucial that their presence is closely monitored,” emphasizes Arkadiusz Mularczyk.
