EU parliament approves migrant return hubs outside the bloc, Meloni hails 'Albania model' victory
The European Parliament gave final approval to a regulation allowing return centres in third countries and faster deportations, a move Italian premier Giorgia Meloni called a direct outcome of Italy's controversial protocol with Albania.
Vote in Strasbourg
The European Parliament approved the new EU regulation on migrant returns with 418 votes in favour, 218 against and 30 abstentions on Wednesday. The centre-right and far-right groups – the European People's Party (EPP), the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), the Patriots for Europe and the Sovereigntists (ESN) – backed the text, alongside part of the liberal Renew group. Socialists, Greens, the Left and another segment of Renew voted against it, in a split that broke with the traditional centrist majority.
Today, Italy has achieved a major success in Europe. The European Parliament approved the new European regulation on repatriations, a historic measure and the result primarily of the work of the Italian government, which allows us to quickly repatriate those who are not entitled to stay in the European Union.
Return hubs and the Albania model
The regulation enables member states to transfer migrants subject to a return decision – unaccompanied minors excluded – to repatriation centres located in third countries, based on bilateral agreements. Meloni framed this as a direct extension of Italy’s existing protocol with Albania, which established two Italian-run migrant centres there. The scheme has faced repeated judicial hurdles in Italy but has drawn interest from other EU countries and the United Kingdom.
The regulation also provides for the possibility to open repatriation centres in third countries, thus effectively following the path pioneered by the Italian government with the protocol with Albania, an innovative solution that the Italian and European Left attempted to oppose at all costs, but which, thanks to this government, has now become a tool available to the whole of Europe.
Faster deportations and extended detention
Under the new rules, expulsions of individuals whose asylum claims have been rejected must be carried out within 30 days. Migrants who do not cooperate with authorities can be held in detention for up to 24 months, a substantial extension over the previous six-month limit in many member states. The law also removes the automatic suspension of deportation orders during legal appeals; courts will now decide on a case-by-case basis whether to pause a removal.
Political framing from the G7
Meloni recorded her statement from Evian-les-Bains, France, where she was attending the G7 summit. She presented the vote as the fulfilment of a campaign promise to reshape Europe’s approach to irregular migration, tying the outcome directly to the mandate she received from Italian voters.
Defend the borders, drastically reduce landings, fight human traffickers, immediately repatriate those who are not entitled to stay with us. We promised the Italians that we would change Europe and we did it, with courage, with patience, with determination, because our compass is clear: respect the programme voted by the citizens point by point. We will not stop, we will continue.
