European Union demands control against returns of immigrants

Havana, April 21 (RHC) - European Union (EU) lawmakers today demanded that independent monitoring mechanisms be set up to prevent illegal returns of asylum seekers at the bloc's borders.

In a statement by the European Parliament, they also expressed their support for tightening controls at EU borders for immigrants who do not in principle meet the conditions for entry into a member state.

The measures, outlined in a set of bills to reform the bloc's migration and asylum system, include identification, fingerprinting, security checks, and preliminary health and vulnerability assessments. These provisions can then lead to an expedited return process in line with an original proposal from the European Commission.

To prevent illegal returns, member states are called upon to set up independent monitoring mechanisms to check whether national authorities and bodies such as Frontex and the EU Agency for Asylum comply with human rights standards.

However, it is unclear if the rules will be approved as the regional bloc has been struggling to redefine its rules on asylum and migration since the 2015 crisis due to deep divisions between member states and EU institutions. (Source: Prensa Latina)