European Union ambassadors are set to approve new regulations on Wednesday that would allow member states to direct migrants subject to return decisions to special hubs located outside the bloc. The move, part of a broader migration reform package taking effect this Friday, has gained growing support among EU capitals as a way to make return procedures more efficient.
The new rules would enable individual member states to negotiate agreements with non-EU countries to host such return centers. Among the countries already exploring or conducting analyses of similar projects are Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Greece, and the Nordic states. Proponents argue that the hubs would reduce the burden on national asylum systems and improve the implementation of deportation orders.
According to Cyprus’s Minister of Migration Nicholas Ioannides, the legal basis provided by the new regulations could accelerate practical steps. – Now that we have the legal basis, we believe that in the coming months plans will take on concrete shapes – said Ioannides. He added that potential locations could be in Africa or Asia, but stressed they would not be in the immediate vicinity of EU borders. Germany and the Netherlands have announced they will present their own national plans before the end of the year, while Nordic countries are considering a joint pilot project, Politico reported.
Growing support among member states
The push for external return hubs reflects a broader shift in European migration policy. Several countries have independently developed proposals, and the new EU framework is expected to harmonize these efforts. The regulations stipulate that any agreement with a third country must ensure respect for human rights and international law. The member state planning to establish a hub must inform the European Commission and other EU countries in advance.
Human rights organizations, however, have raised serious concerns about the lack of clarity surrounding the new measures. Key questions remain about the maximum length of stay in such centers, access to legal representation, and the ability to monitor conditions outside the EU. Critics warn that outsourcing migration management could lead to systemic abuses.
Human rights groups voice concerns
Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska expressed strong reservations. – Such solutions could lead to violations of migrants’ rights – warned Grande-Marlaska. Luxembourg’s Interior Minister Léon Gloden offered a more conditional stance. – I would not support sending women and children to such centers, although in principle we support the creation of return hubs – declared Gloden. These voices highlight the delicate balance between efficiency and safeguarding fundamental rights.
The new regulations still require approval from the European Parliament and formal endorsement by EU interior ministers before they can be fully implemented. The debate is far from over, as the political and legal implications of externalizing border control continue to divide European capitals.
Źródło: Polsat News, Fot. Polsat News
