European Union countries have finalised their negotiating position on a wide ranging set of reforms to asylum rules and migrant return procedures. The agreement was reached during a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels where member states confirmed their collective stance on changes forming part of the bloc’s broader migration overhaul. Under the agreement EU countries will endorse a new regulation that streamlines return procedures for individuals who have been found to be staying unlawfully within member states. The proposals allow for the establishment of return hubs in third countries, the potential extension of detention for migrants who do not comply with removal orders and stronger tools for carrying out enforced returns. Officials say the goal is to reduce delays and remove inconsistencies in the way returns are handled across the Union. A significant change to the asylum system involves the introduction of an EU wide safe country mechanism. Under the new...