Establishing a common system for the return of third-country nationals staying illegally in the Union, and repealing Directive 2008/115/EC of the European Parliament and the Council, Council Directive 2001/40/EC and Council Decision 2004/191/EC
A proposed EU law. Parliament and the Council must agree on the same text: Parliament adopts its position, then negotiates with the Council.
Where it stands: Completed: published in the Official Journal on 15 October 2026 and now EU law.
- ✓ Referred to committee 16 June 2025
- ✓ Committee work Report adopted 9 March 2026
- ✓ Tabled for plenary 10 March 2026
- ✓ Negotiations with the Council Deal approved in committee 15 June 2026
- ✓ Plenary vote Adopted 17 June 2026
- ✓ Published as law 15 October 2026
How a file moves through Parliament
A file is referred to one lead committee (others may give an opinion). Its rapporteur writes a draft report, committee members table amendments, and the committee votes to adopt the report. The report is then tabled for all MEPs; political groups can table further amendments, which are voted on before the final vote in plenary. For a law, Parliament’s adopted text is its first-reading position; Parliament and the Council then negotiate a common text (trilogues) which both must approve before it is published as law.
Who is working on it
- Lead committee
- LIBE — Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
- Rapporteur
- Malik AZMANI Renew
- Shadow rapporteurs
- François-Xavier BELLAMY PPEMurielle LAURENT S&DMarieke EHLERS PfECharlie WEIMERS ECRMélissa CAMARA Verts/ALEEstrella GALÁN The LeftMary KHAN ESN
The rapporteur drafts and negotiates the text for the lead committee; each other political group names a shadow rapporteur to follow the file.
The text, version by version
Newest version first. Open a version to read it in full. “What changed” shows the differences paragraph by paragraph; ✦ lines are AI-written from the texts themselves.
Timeline
- Outcome
- 15 October 2026 Published in the Official Journal
The act is now EU law.
- 7 October 2026 Signed by the Presidents of Parliament and the Council
The last step before the act is published in the Official Journal.
- Plenary stage
- 17 June 2026 Plenary voteAdopted Adopted by a large majorityFor 418 Against 218 Abstained 30
Final vote on the provisional agreement at 13:51 · 63% of votes cast in favour · every MEP’s position →
Show all 6 ballots in voting order
1. Proposal to reject the text 13:50 A10-0048/2026 – Malik Azmani – Proposal for rejection – Am 2 = 3 =Rejected2. Proposal to vote on amendments 13:50 A10-0048/2026 – Malik Azmani – Proposal to vote on amendmentsRejected3. Final vote on the provisional agreement 13:51 A10-0048/2026 – Malik Azmani – Provisional agreement – Am 4Adopted4. Final vote Text as a wholeNot put to a vote, because an earlier vote already settled the matter.A vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recordedNot put to a vote, because an earlier vote already settled the matter.Not put to a vote, because an earlier vote already settled the matter. - 16 June 2026 Debated in plenary
MEPs debated the text in the chamber ahead of the vote.
- Negotiations with the Council
- 15 June 2026 Committee approved the deal reached with the Council
The provisional agreement from the trilogues goes to the whole Parliament for a vote.
- Plenary stage
- 15 June 2026 4 amendments tabled for the plenary vote
Groups propose changes to the tabled text; each is voted on before the final vote.
- Negotiations with the Council
- 1 June 2026 Trilogue meeting
Negotiation between Parliament, Council and Commission on a common text.
- 20 May 2026 Trilogue meeting
Negotiation between Parliament, Council and Commission on a common text.
- 22 April 2026 Trilogue meeting
Negotiation between Parliament, Council and Commission on a common text.
- 26 March 2026 Trilogue meeting
Negotiation between Parliament, Council and Commission on a common text.
- 26 March 2026 Plenary endorsed the mandate to negotiate with the Council
Parliament’s negotiators can now seek a compromise text with the Council (in “trilogues”).
- Plenary stage
- 26 March 2026 Plenary voteAdopted Adopted by a large majorityFor 389 Against 206 Abstained 32
Decision to open negotiations with the Council at 11:06 · 62% of votes cast in favour · every MEP’s position →
- 10 March 2026 Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
- Committee stage
- 9 March 2026 Committee vote: report adopted
LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
- 1 December 2025 Amendments tabled in committee (7 batches)
Members of LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) proposed changes to the draft.
- 30 October 2025 Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
- 16 June 2025 Referred to the LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) committee
The lead committee prepares Parliament’s report.