In a late-night vote on 3 December, EU negotiators agreed on a new regulation that will allow Brussels to suspend trade-tariff concessions for developing countries that refuse to take back nationals expelled from Europe. The measure—championed by France, Germany and Austria—adds migration cooperation to the conditions of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP).
Under the text, which will enter into force on 1 January 2027, the European Commission must first open a 12-month dialogue with a non-co-operating country. If no progress is made, the Commission may freeze certain visa categories (typically for officials and elites). Only after those steps can tariff benefits be withdrawn—subject to another round of parliamentary scrutiny. Critics call the multi-step process a “bureaucratic nightmare,” but supporters see it as the EU’s strongest leverage yet to secure readmissions.
![EU links trade preferences to migrant readmission, France backs tougher stance]()
For France the stakes are high. Paris has struggled to enforce deportation orders to North-African states; interior-ministry figures show fewer than 15 % of removal decisions were executed in 2024. Linking market access to cooperation could shift the balance, French officials argue, without directly penalising French exporters through unilateral visa quotas.
Business-immigration advisers say companies that rely on preferential-tariff supply chains—textiles, agri-food and automotive components—should start mapping exposure. If a supplier’s home country is flagged for poor readmission records, duties could climb sharply within two years, hitting cost bases and possibly complicating assignee deployment if reciprocal visa restrictions follow.
Although the rule is EU-wide, France is expected to be one of the most active member states pushing the Commission to trigger investigations. The interior ministry confirmed it will compile evidence on refusal-to-cooperate cases early next year in anticipation of the 2027 start date.
Under the text, which will enter into force on 1 January 2027, the European Commission must first open a 12-month dialogue with a non-co-operating country. If no progress is made, the Commission may freeze certain visa categories (typically for officials and elites). Only after those steps can tariff benefits be withdrawn—subject to another round of parliamentary scrutiny. Critics call the multi-step process a “bureaucratic nightmare,” but supporters see it as the EU’s strongest leverage yet to secure readmissions.
For France the stakes are high. Paris has struggled to enforce deportation orders to North-African states; interior-ministry figures show fewer than 15 % of removal decisions were executed in 2024. Linking market access to cooperation could shift the balance, French officials argue, without directly penalising French exporters through unilateral visa quotas.
Business-immigration advisers say companies that rely on preferential-tariff supply chains—textiles, agri-food and automotive components—should start mapping exposure. If a supplier’s home country is flagged for poor readmission records, duties could climb sharply within two years, hitting cost bases and possibly complicating assignee deployment if reciprocal visa restrictions follow.
Although the rule is EU-wide, France is expected to be one of the most active member states pushing the Commission to trigger investigations. The interior ministry confirmed it will compile evidence on refusal-to-cooperate cases early next year in anticipation of the 2027 start date.
