Brussels, 21/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - While EU member states are meeting up on Thursday 22 May for a Coreper meeting (initially planned for Wednesday) in an attempt to obtain a compromise on the returns directive (EUROPE 9658), Amnesty International and the European Council on Refugees and Exiles joined forces to refuse the text provisionally on the table and to demand improvements. According to the two organisations, the current draft directive does not respect any of the fundamental rights of the people affected. Nicholas Beger, Director of Amnesty International's European office, indicated: “By accepting this compromise text, the European Parliament will undermine its own mandate to protect human rights and allow EU law to erode existing international human rights standards”. Bjarte Vandvik, Secretary General of ECRE affirmed that “We need a directive on returns, but not at all costs. We are particularly concerned about the detention periods in this directive and the lack of real opportunities for migrants to leave of their own accord before being removed by force”. Parliament will have a plenary vote on the text on 14 June. If a compromise is found before the summer, the directive will enter into force by mid-2010. (B.C.)