EU countries on Monday backed a significant tightening of Europe's immigration policy, including endorsing the concept of setting up "return hubs" outside the 27-nation bloc for failed asylum-seekers.

Interior ministers meeting in Brussels greenlighted a package of measures, as European governments are under pressure to take a tougher stance amid a souring of public opinion on migration that has fuelled far-right gains at the ballot box.

Put forward by the European Commission earlier this year, the changes, which need to be approved by the European Parliament before coming into force, would notably allow:

-- The opening of centres outside the European Union's borders to which migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected would be sent -- the so-called "return hubs".

-- Harsher

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