A coalition of five European Union member states—Germany, Austria, Greece, Denmark, and the Netherlands—has moved forward with negotiations to create migrant return centers in countries outside the EU. The group, operating as the Group of Five, intends to finalize agreements this year that would enable the transfer of migrants without legal residency status to these facilities.
Danish Immigration and Integration Minister Morten Bodskov indicated that officials expect to reach a preliminary understanding with an unidentified partner nation around New Year. The specific countries that would host the return centers have not been disclosed. Bodskov characterized the initiative as providing migrants with a fresh opportunity, while noting that the participating nations would coordinate with international organizations including the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Refugee Agency as the plans develop. The Group of Five scheduled a reconvening meeting for late September in Munich to continue advancing the proposal.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt confirmed the group’s aim to secure third-country agreements this year that would allow the establishment of these return hubs. The initiative aligns with a revised EU migration framework approved by the European Parliament in June, which streamlines deportation procedures and permits member states to operate facilities beyond their borders. However, the Council of Europe flagged potential concerns, issuing a July statement warning that the proposed return hubs could create “considerable human rights risks.” The council, a separate entity from the EU focused on human rights and democratic governance, raised questions about the safeguards embedded in the proposal.
Critics of the plan have suggested alternative approaches. Representatives from the Danish Refugee Council argued that implementing the existing EU Pact on Migration and Asylum—which emphasizes rigorous border checks, expedited return processes, and advanced digital systems for asylum management—would be more effective. They contended that return hubs would address only a limited portion of migration flows and could potentially drive migrants toward more dangerous routes while creating human rights concerns.
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