Spain Opposes New EU Migration Policies Featuring Deportation Centers and 'Safe Third Country' Rules
Spain strongly opposes the EU's new migration regulation that includes deportation centers outside the EU and expanded 'safe third country' rules, citing legal and human rights concerns.
- • The EU approved a regulation establishing deportation centers outside EU borders and expanding the 'safe third country' concept.
- • Spain opposed these measures, citing legal, political, and human rights concerns.
- • Spain received limited support from Portugal and France on the safe third country issue, but none on deportation centers.
- • Spain abstained on the EU solidarity mechanism for migrant redistribution, criticizing its non-binding and limited financial nature.
Key details
The European Union has recently approved a stringent migration regulation that diverges significantly from Spain's position, notably including the establishment of deportation centers outside EU borders and a new 'safe third country' definition. These measures permit member states to deport irregular migrants and asylum seekers to non-EU countries they have no prior connection with, such as Morocco, Colombia, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Tunisia, and various EU candidate countries.
Spain, represented by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and Minister of Inclusion Elma Saiz, voiced strong opposition to these policies during the Council of Justice and Home Affairs meeting in Brussels on December 8. Spain criticized the proposed deportation centers — modeled after Italy’s approach under Giorgia Meloni — expressing serious legal, political, and economic concerns. Marlaska warned these centers could damage bilateral relations and questioned the legality of the 'safe third country' framework, arguing that it could violate human rights and undermine the integrity of the EU migration pact.
While Portugal and France lent Spain some support concerning the 'safe third country' concept, no ministers backed Spain on the deportation centers issue, leaving Spain isolated within the EU. Denmark’s Interior Minister highlighted the growing migration pressure and the need for effective solutions but underscored the risks of the current system’s perverse incentives.
Moreover, Spain opposed mandatory indefinite detention in these external camps and abstained from voting on the solidarity contingency mechanism designed to redistribute migrants across member states. Spain criticized the EU’s solidarity model as non-binding and financially insufficient, especially given the reduction of funding for countries experiencing migration pressure like Spain from €600 million to €420 million.
The EU regulation is expected to pass through the European Parliament smoothly, reflecting a broader shift in EU migration policy towards restrictive management systems anchored in deportations outside its borders. Spain remains committed to less restrictive approaches prioritizing cooperation with migrants’ countries of origin and respect for human rights, but it now finds itself increasingly isolated among EU member states on this critical issue.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
