Spanish press: EU to expel some 8 million illegal immigrants

The European Union plans to strengthen the criteria on the repatriation of illegal non-EU immigrants, a move that would affect some 8 million immigrants, according to European Commission data quoted by Spanish daily El Pais. The paper writes that a EU committee will convene on Wednesday to approve a directive on the repatriation of illegal immigrants.

According to the document, all EU member states need to harmonize their legislation regarding the maximum detention period for illegal immigrants. Plus, all member states will be given more powers to expel illegal foreigners.

The document rules that illegal immigrants who are caught can be detained from 6 to 18 months in exceptional cases. Moreover, those expelled will be forbidden to enter the European Union area for five years. Some 500,000 to 1,000,000 illegal immigrants enter the EU annually, according to EC data quoted by El Pais.