Spain rejects calls for blanket acceleration of returns and for procedures to be outsourced to third countries. The government reiterated this position in debates in the Congreso de los Diputados at the end of September, which addressed implementation of the European Pact on Migration and the latest movements of people across Ceuta . Madrid is therefore taking a stand against proposals from several member states seeking stricter and faster procedures and agreements with third countries.
According to the plenary and committee records of the Congreso de los Diputados, the government stresses that returns must comply with the rule of law and must not curtail effective legal remedies. It rejects external detention or return centres outside the European Union—sometimes referred to in public debate as “centros Meloni”, after Giorgia Meloni —citing constitutional and international-law concerns, as well as criticism from human rights organisations . Instead, Spain says it is pursuing coordinated cooperation with countries of origin and transit, and humane transfers within Spanish territory.
Opposition parties accuse the government of being too slow to use practical tools for returns and reception. Government representatives, meanwhile, point out that national adjustments are needed to implement the European Pact on Migration, and that the autonomous communities must also be involved. The pact comprises several legal acts that will take effect in stages from 2026; details of implementation and responsibilities are currently being negotiated in Madrid and Brussels .
In the European context, Spain’s position signals distance from approaches that would partially relocate asylum and return procedures to third countries. Supporters of external solutions argue that they would deter arrivals and speed up procedures. Opponents point to a lack of judicial oversight, unclear protection standards and the difficulty of ensuring lasting guarantees in third countries that comply with international law. Analyses from European think tanks highlight that legal details—from procedural rights and detention conditions to the allocation of responsibility—are crucial to whether such arrangements can work in practice.
The dispute is therefore political as well as legal. Madrid says it is seeking a coordinated European solution grounded in the rule of law, and warns against rapidly outsourcing key procedural steps. Whether this leads to a lasting divergence in the European Union will depend on forthcoming implementation decisions and bilateral negotiations.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).