300+ Groups Demand EU Scrap ‘Return Regulation’ Expanding Detention, Surveillance And Deportations

A coalition of 300+ civil-society organizations urges the EU to reject the Commission’s proposed Return Regulation, warning it would normalize detention up to 24 months (including children), create offshore ‘return hubs,’ weaken appeal rights, and broaden data-sharing and digital surveillance. Advocates say pairing the law with EES/ETIAS could turbocharge removals for overstays and minor infractions, fueling racialized policing and rights risks. They call for withdrawing the proposal and pursuing rights-based residence pathways and protection-focused alternatives.