Migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said the measure was “in full compliance" with human rights laws | Vladimir Simicek/AFP/Getty Lock up migrants to stop them absconding, says Commission If migrants are refused entry to the EU and show signs of not leaving, they can be detained.

Migrants who are refused entry to the EU and dispute the decision should be detained to prevent them staying illegally, the European Commission said Thursday as it unveiled measures to get tougher on migration.

People who have been told they will be returned to their home country and "show signs they will not comply, such as refusal to cooperate in the identification process or opposing a return operation violently or fraudulently" should be detained to "prevent absconding," the Commission said in a statement Thursday.

Migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said the measure was “in full compliance" with human rights laws and it would “not only take pressure off the asylum systems in member states and ensure appropriate capacity to protect those who are genuinely in need of protection, it will also be a strong signal against taking dangerous irregular journeys to the EU.”

It's not a call for blanket detention, said a Commission official, but a way to make full use of European legislation which allows irregular migrants to be detained for six months, and in some cases for 18 months. The official added that the move is to stop migrants disappearing while their claim is being processed.

In 2015, the number of irregular migrants ordered to leave the EU was 533,395, up from 470,080 in 2014, according to Commission figures. That figure could top 1 million once all outstanding asylum applications have been processed.

The Commission also said it wants to stop migrants moving between countries in search of better welfare conditions, and called on EU members to exchange "best practices to ensure reintegration packages are consistent and coherent." This, it hopes, will stamp out "return shopping" by irregular migrants. It wants harmonization of financial incentives to leave "to avoid countries of origin favoring returns from countries offering higher reintegration packages.”

In addition, the Commission is stepping up its rhetoric against countries that are refusing to take part in its relocation program under which 160,000 refugees were supposed to be move out of Greece and Italy. The scheme expires in September and so far just 13,546 relocations been carried out. Just two member countries — Finland and Malta — are on track to meet their obligations. Hungary, Austria and Poland are refusing to participate in the scheme at all and others have done so on a very limited basis (Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovakia).

The Commission warned that “if member states do not increase their relocations soon" it "will not hesitate to make use of its powers." That could mean infringement procedures against reluctant member countries. The Commission added that obligations to take part will not end when the scheme expires in September.