European Union in March 2026: the most important developments in society
The European Parliament approved on 26 March a plan to set up migrant return hubs in countries outside the EU, where asylum seekers whose claims are rejected would be processed. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed the vote. On 6 March five member states had agreed to build return hubs outside Europe, and Austria planned return centres with four other EU states. The debate ran alongside data showing that asylum applications in the EU and associated countries fell by about one-fifth in 2025 and that irregular border crossings dropped significantly. Concern about a possible new migration flow from the Middle East grew during the month: Germany's foreign minister warned of it, a Swedish minister saw no signs of a surge, Italy and Denmark urged an emergency plan, and at the 20 March summit Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the bloc would not repeat its 2015 policy mistakes. An EU envoy said the temporary protection scheme for Ukrainian refugees is unlikely to continue in its present form.
Food and climate rules formed a second theme. The EU dropped its plan to ban the term 'veggie burger' but went ahead with a ban on labels such as 'plant-based bacon', which critics said offers no clear environmental benefit. It set a target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040, and critics pointed to a loophole that could delay climate action. Farmers protested after the EU-Australia trade deal liberalised farm products, and the European Chemicals Agency recommended a ban on PFAS with certain exemptions.
The European Commission said EU funding for the Venice Biennale could be at risk over Russia's participation. The EU's top court ruled that member states must recognise gender changes made in other EU countries, and Poland announced it would recognise same-sex marriages legally performed elsewhere in the EU.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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