Following events that took place in the European Parliament after the vote on the Return Regulation on 17 June 2026, CIDSE has joined more than 70 civil society organisations working across human rights, democracy, transparency, migration, equality, climate and development and humanitarian aid, in signing an open letter to European Parliament President’s Roberta Metsola.
This letter followed the European Parliament June plenary session, during which a group of MEPs chanted “send them back” after the adoption of the Return Regulation, which will accelerate the exclusion, mass detention, and deportation of asylum seekers and migrants to countries outside of Europe.
The letter condemns remarks and chanting heard in the chamber after the vote and calls on President Metsola to publicly condemn the incident and clarify how Parliament’s standards of conduct will be enforced. The signatories emphasise the importance of upholding human dignity, mutual respect and the values that underpin the European Union’s democratic institutions
The coalition also calls for clear and consistent approaches to addressing discriminatory and hateful speech during parliamentary proceedings, stressing the role of public institutions in fostering constructive democratic dialogue.
At a time of growing political polarisation across Europe, CIDSE supports efforts to foster a public discourse that respects the dignity and rights of all people.
*This letter has been updated on 7 July 2026 to reflect the latest number of signatories.
Signatories:
- ACAT Belgique
- ACAT Espagne-Catalogne
- ActionAid International
- Action by Christians Against Torture-UK
- Amnesty International
- Asociación Por Ti Mujer
- Avocats Sans Frontières Belgium
- Bi+ Equal
- CAN Europe
- Caritas Europa
- Center for Countering Digital Hate
- Center for Reproductive Rights
- CGT Opfra
- CIDSE
- CNCD-11.11.
- COFACE Families Europe
- CONCORD
- ELC – Eurocentralasian Lesbian Community
- End FGM European Network
- ENSIE, the European Network of Work Integration Social Enterprises
- ERGO Network
- Eurodiaconia
- EuroMed Rights
- European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN)
- European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA)
- EASPD (European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities)
- EPSU- European Public Service Unions
- European Coalition for Corporate Justice
- European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)
- European Disability Forum (EDF)
- European Environmental Bureau
- European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance
- European Women’s Lobby
- Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice
- European Network on Statelessness (ENS)
- FEANTSA (the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless)
- FIACAT (Federation Internationale des ACAT)
- foodwatch International
- Friends of the Earth Europe
- HIAS Europe
- Humanists International
- IFSW Europe
- IGLYO
- ILGA-Europe
- International Commission of Jurists
- International Planned Parenthood Federation – European Network (IPPF EN)
- International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims(IRCT)
- Jesuit Refugee Service Belgium
- Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Europe
- Jesuit Refugee Service Malta
- La Cimade
- La Strada International
- Médecins du Monde International Network
- Missing Children Europe
- Move Coalition
- OII Europe
- Oxfam
- Platform forInternational Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants(PICUM)
- Protection International
- Quaker Council for European Affairs
- RED ACOGE
- Save the Children Europe
- Social Platform
- Statewatch
- Stichting LOS, Netherlands
- TGEU
- Transparency International EU
- Utopia 56
- VOICE
- Volonteurope
- Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE) Network
- World Organisation against Torture (OMCT)
CIDSE Contact: Josianne Gauthier, CIDSE Secretary-General, gauthier(at)cidse.org
Cover photo: Behind the scenes Plenary Session European Parliament in Strasbourg – June 2026. Credits: CC-BY-4.0 © European Union 2026– Source EP