With 389 votes in favour, 206 against and 32 abstentions, the European Parliament agreed to proceed to the next stage of the legislative process for an updated EU common system for the return of third-country nationals staying illegally in the EU. The plenary vote took place following three separate requests by the S&D, Greens/EFA, and The Left political groups challenging the 9 March 2026 decisions taken in the Civil Liberties Committee, in line with rule 72 of Parliament’s rules of procedure.
Rapporteur Malik Azmani (Renew, NL) will lead Parliament’s negotiating team. You can check Parliament’s negotiating position and a summary of key points. A first round of negotiations with the Cyprus Presidency is scheduled to take place shortly.
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