Five EU nations push for migrant return hubs outside Europe

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, and Greece have joined forces to establish offshore "return hubs" outside the European Union to house asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected.

This unprecedented coalition marks the first time a group of member states has actively collaborated to implement the highly controversial deportation model, reflecting growing support for externalizing the bloc's migration system.

"A fundamental part of migration management"

The interior ministers of the five nations met in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the initiative, with Magnus Brunner, the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, attending as a guest. Speaking at a press conference following the meeting, Brunner stated that returns are a fundamental part of a well-functioning migration management system and emphasized their strong commitment to identifying innovative solutions alongside member states.

Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner told journalists upon his arrival in Brussels that the coalition aims for the "concrete implementation" of these deportation centers.

The push for offshore hubs comes as Eurostat data reveals a significant bottleneck; currently, less than a third of individuals ordered to leave the European Union are actually returned to their countries of origin.

Legislative framework and target countries

The joint initiative relies on a new regulatory framework that would allow member states to conduct migration policies through centers outside the EU. Agreed upon by EU countries last December, the regulation is currently under review in the European Parliament. If approved, governments could send irregular migrants to third countries through bilateral agreements, utilizing these hubs as transit points or temporary holding facilities.

While diplomats note that the coalition believes moving forward in smaller groups is the best way to achieve effective results and prove the model works, the potential target countries remain undisclosed. Officials are keeping quiet to avoid jeopardizing negotiations, planning instead to offer incentives to nations willing to host the return hubs.

Greece's participation is notable as the only Southern European country in the group. Government sources told the Efsyn newspaper that joining the initiative aims to send a strong deterrent message to migration flows.

Other nations are exploring similar paths. Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen told Euronews that Helsinki is discussing a similar project with Nordic neighbors and non-EU governments, while Italy already operates two return centers in Albania, located in Shengjin and Gjader.

Human rights concerns and parliamentary hurdles

Despite gaining political traction, the offshore processing concept remains deeply controversial. Humanitarian organizations warn that these facilities could subject migrants to prison-like conditions, raising the risk of severe human rights violations.

In response, NGOs are actively urging the European Parliament to block the regulation. The measure is expected to face a critical vote in the Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee on Monday. If it passes the committee stage, it must be approved by the full Parliament before formal negotiations with member states can begin.

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