IndustriAll Europe has joined the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and five other European Trade Union Federations in urging Members of the European Parliament to reject the proposed EU Return Regulation, warning that it represents a major step backwards for human rights, the right to asylum and the protection of vulnerable workers.

In a joint letter sent ahead of the final parliamentary vote, European trade unions argue that the proposal fails to address the structural causes of irregular migration and instead promotes a punitive and increasingly coercive migration policy. They warn that the Regulation risks undermining fundamental rights while weakening trust in public institutions and public services.

Among the most controversial provisions identified, are new investigative powers allowing migration status checks and raids in homes and workplaces. Such measures could have serious consequences for workers, particularly those in vulnerable situations, by discouraging them from reporting labour exploitation, unsafe working conditions or abuses for fear of detention or deportation.

We strongly oppose the expansion of migrant detention. The proposal would extend detention periods and broaden the grounds on which people can be detained, including on the basis of administrative irregularities. The letter warns that this approach treats migration as a criminal matter and risks normalising detention as a routine practice rather than a measure of last resort. Particular concern is expressed over the detention of children and the prospect of prolonged detention in already overcrowded facilities with limited access to healthcare, education and legal support.

Another key concern is the proposal's support for the externalisation of migration management through so-called "return hubs" in third countries. Outsourcing detention and deportation procedures outside the European Union raises serious legal and human rights questions and risks violating international refugee protection standards.

The letter also criticises plans for the mandatory mutual recognition of deportation orders between Member States. Such a system could weaken procedural safeguards and individual assessments at a time when public administrations are already under pressure from budget cuts, understaffing and accelerated digitalisation processes. Fast-tracked procedures could fail to identify vulnerabilities or protection needs, particularly for people with limited access to legal assistance and interpretation services.

Equally, the use of the legally contested concept of "safe third countries". The proposal could increase the risk of refoulement and facilitate returns to countries where human rights protections are inadequate. The inclusion of countries with documented restrictions on trade union rights and civil liberties among proposed "safe" countries is highlighted as particularly troubling.

Rather than expanding detention and deportation measures, we call for a different approach based on investment in public services, adequate staffing of asylum and reception systems, and pathways to regularisation. They argue that many situations of irregularity stem from restrictive migration rules, administrative delays and under-resourced public administrations rather than failures of border control.

We call on MEPs to defend fundamental rights, uphold Europe's legal obligations and reject the Return Regulation in the upcoming vote. For the European trade union movement, migration policy must be based on human dignity, social justice and respect for workers' rights, rather than coercion and exclusion.