EU Approves Framework for Third-Country Return Hubs, Five Nations Move to Implement
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Greece, Germany, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands plan to transfer rejected asylum seekers to designated return hubs outside the EU after new bloc-wide rules were adopted.
The European Union adopted a legal framework this week that permits member states to conclude agreements with non-EU countries for the transfer of asylum seekers whose applications have been denied. Under the rules, any partner must respect international human-rights standards and the principle of non-refoulement.
Greece, Germany, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands have announced plans to establish "return hubs" in third countries, potentially in Africa, where migrants could be sent after exhausting domestic appeals. Denmark’s interior minister said the country expects to be ready to transfer its first irregular migrants to a partner nation by 2027, while Greece aims to launch a pilot project in the first half of next year.
The EU presented the hubs as a deterrent to irregular migration, suggesting they could encourage voluntary returns and discourage dangerous journeys. No specific destination has been confirmed, though reports have mentioned Rwanda as a possible partner.
The move follows similar policies pursued by the United States and the United Kingdom. The U.S. recently transferred over 100 undocumented migrants to several African nations, and the UK’s former Rwanda scheme was halted after legal challenges.
Experts caution that externalizing migration does not eliminate the complexities of asylum policy. Peter Walsh, a senior researcher at the University of Oxford’s Migration Observatory, noted that litigation, respect for individual rights and the willingness of third-country partners remain significant hurdles.
Advocates of stricter border control have welcomed the EU decision, while critics argue that outsourcing migration management does not address the underlying issues of asylum policy within Europe.