Five EU states agree on deportation centers outside the EU
On Friday in Copenhagen, Germany reached an agreement with Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands, and Greece on a joint model for so-called return hubs. These are facilities outside the European Union where people whose asylum applications have been definitively rejected and who cannot be returned to their country of origin are to be accommodated. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt spoke of an innovation in the European asylum system. The five states describe themselves as pioneers and are now looking for a partner country outside the EU.
The scope is clearly defined. It concerns individuals who are under a legally binding obligation to leave the country following a final rejection, and whose countries of origin refuse to take them back. For people currently in the application process, in legal proceedings, or holding a residence permit, this agreement changes nothing. Danish Minister Morten Bødskov emphasized that these are not closed camps or prisons, but open facilities, and that they are seeking cooperation with the IOM and the UNHCR. Amnesty International, the Council of Europe, and the UNHCR, however, warn against arbitrary detention, mistreatment, and onward deportations from states with poor human rights records.
The legal basis is the European Return Regulation, which was adopted by the European Parliament in the summer and is set to become final in October. Only after that will agreements with a third country be possible. Rwanda and Uganda have been mentioned as potential locations, though none have been officially confirmed. Representatives of the participating states held negotiations in Rwanda last week. The next meeting of the five countries is planned for the end of September in Munich. The first transfers are not expected before 2027.
Nothing changes in everyday life today, and no one needs to take action now. Anyone who has received or is expecting a rejection notice should first check the appeal deadline in the notice, as it is often short, and contact a lawyer, a migration counseling center, or the refugee council of their federal state at an early stage. Legal aid and litigation cost assistance can be applied for. Keep all mail from the BAMF and the immigration authorities, and report any change of address immediately.