Brussels has deemed it unacceptable that four in five people ordered to leave the bloc, slip through the cracks

The European Commission has formally proposed to harmonize deportation rules across the EU. The current regulations, which vary by state, allow those who have been denied the right to remain in the bloc lawfully to exploit the system, resulting in a 20% deportation rate.

President Ursula von der Leyen has labeled the figure "by far, too low."

The proposed rules "will ensure that those who have no right to stay in the EU are actually returned" to their countries of origin, EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, has claimed. 

The 87-page document unveiled on Tuesday will require immigrants to cooperate with authorities, permit the extended detention of asylum seekers, and introduce the mutual recognition of deportation orders among member states. The reforms aim to encourage voluntary returns and close loopholes currently exploited by illegal immigrants who evade forced repatriation by moving between EU countries.

The plan will establish "return hubs" - deportation centers in third countries willing to accept expelled individuals from the EU. If approved by the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, the new system is set to take effect in mid-2027.

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Illegal immigration has remained a hot-button issue in the EU since the 2015 crisis, which saw over a million people arrive in member states.

The authorities' decision to welcome this influx sparked a backlash from several Eastern European nations, citing threats to security and culture.

Political guidelines issued by von der Leyen last July pledged to strengthen the EU's borders and crack down on human trafficking, a significant driver of illegal immigration.