European Union Overhauls Visa and Migration Policy

The European Union has unveiled a five-year migration strategy aimed at overhauling its visa system and increasing deportations. This initiative seeks to reduce irregular arrivals, which were down by over a quarter in 2025, and use visa issuance as a diplomatic tool to achieve policy goals. The strategy includes proposals for 'return hubs' outside EU borders and harsher penalties for migrants refusing to leave, drawing criticism from human rights groups like Amnesty International. The European Union is also pursuing 'assertive migration diplomacy,' negotiating deals with Northern African countries such as Tunisia, Mauritania, Egypt, and Morocco, offering aid and investments in exchange for cooperation on migration control. This move reflects a hardening stance on migration across the bloc, although Spain has adopted a contrasting approach by granting legal status to undocumented migrants.