Failed asylum seekers who had to be returned to their home countries are being ill-served by the EU’s existing system, MEP Miriam Dalli has said.

Dr Dalli is leading Socialists & Democrats’ negotiations on a European Commission proposal for a travel document for third-country nationals ineligible for asylum or humanitarian protection.

The proposal, which forms part of the European Agenda on Migration, aims to establish a document of when migrants should be returned to their countries.

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Dr Dalli argued that the EU system for the return third-country nationals was not effective.

In 2014, less than 40 per cent of return decisions were actually implemented and migrants ended up in a legal conundrum.

“Effective but dignified returns are the only way forward to elevate some pressure from countries like Malta, and for achieving a European Common Asylum Policy. It is only through such means that we can really fulfil our humanitarian obligations,” she said.

“A number of border member states, including Malta, are made to shoulder more responsibility than they can handle when dealing with migration, since they cannot return failed asylum applicants. This is due to a number of pending issues with third countries,” she said.

This is the second migration-related legislative proposal that Dr Dalli is working on.

She is also the S&D’s main negotiator on the legislative changes to the permanent relocation mechanism, which is an integral part of the Dublin regulation.