Meeting in Strasbourg on 9 March 2026, the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Committee adopted its draft report on a regulation that would replace the 2008 Returns Directive and establish a common EU system for returning third-country nationals who have no legal right to stay. The text, steered by rapporteur Malik Azmani, also authorised the opening of inter-institutional ‘trilogue’ talks with the Council. Key innovations include a 12-week limit for completing return procedures, mutual recognition of return decisions across member states and mandatory digital travel documents. Italy’s delegation to LIBE voted in favour, arguing that faster, more predictable removals are essential to relieve frontline countries that register the majority of irregular arrivals. Rome is pushing for EU funds to cover charter-flight costs and wants Frontex to coordinate returns from Italian air bases such as Pratica di Mare.
![EU Parliament Committee Fast-Tracks New Returns Directive, Italy Backs Tougher Enforcement]()
In this rapidly shifting landscape, VisaHQ can provide practical assistance to employers, migrants and travellers alike. Via its dedicated Italy page (https://www.visahq.com/italy/), the service offers up-to-date guidance on visa options, document compilation and appointment scheduling, helping users stay compliant with both existing rules and the forthcoming digital-document standards discussed by LIBE.
Business-immigration specialists welcomed assurances that the regulation will not affect voluntary-departure schemes or humanitarian visas, but warned that stricter exit controls could increase secondary-movement checks within Schengen. Employers sponsoring non-EU staff on short-term projects were advised to keep proof of lawful residence on file and to budget extra time for airport screening when employees exit Italy for on-going assignments elsewhere in Europe. The proposal now moves to trilogues under the Belgian Council Presidency, which hopes to broker a deal before the June European Council. If enacted, the new system could enter into force as early as mid-2027, giving companies roughly one year to adapt compliance programmes and travel-policy wording. Italian legal advisers suggest adding a reminder in posted-worker notifications that overstaying Schengen visitors may be subject to the accelerated return procedure, with fines of up to €10,000 and re-entry bans of up to five years.
In this rapidly shifting landscape, VisaHQ can provide practical assistance to employers, migrants and travellers alike. Via its dedicated Italy page (https://www.visahq.com/italy/), the service offers up-to-date guidance on visa options, document compilation and appointment scheduling, helping users stay compliant with both existing rules and the forthcoming digital-document standards discussed by LIBE.
Business-immigration specialists welcomed assurances that the regulation will not affect voluntary-departure schemes or humanitarian visas, but warned that stricter exit controls could increase secondary-movement checks within Schengen. Employers sponsoring non-EU staff on short-term projects were advised to keep proof of lawful residence on file and to budget extra time for airport screening when employees exit Italy for on-going assignments elsewhere in Europe. The proposal now moves to trilogues under the Belgian Council Presidency, which hopes to broker a deal before the June European Council. If enacted, the new system could enter into force as early as mid-2027, giving companies roughly one year to adapt compliance programmes and travel-policy wording. Italian legal advisers suggest adding a reminder in posted-worker notifications that overstaying Schengen visitors may be subject to the accelerated return procedure, with fines of up to €10,000 and re-entry bans of up to five years.
