Prime ministers Giorgia Meloni and Mette Frederiksen proposed establishing return centres in third countries and other "innovative solutions" outside Europe, after their joint push triggered an emergency EU interior ministers' session on migration.
In a joint message posted on Instagram and Facebook, the two leaders said uncontrolled immigration drives up crime rates, strains public services and erodes citizens' trust, singling out violent offences, drug trafficking and sexual violence by irregular migrants as a grave concern. They also declared pride in Europe's Christian cultural heritage and pledged to protect it.
The appeal comes as Berlin announced plans to return migrants to Italy under the EU migration pact, and follows an Italy-Spain dispute over Schengen suspensions after roughly 60,000 migrants reached Ceuta.