Denmark is hoping to begin transferring rejected asylum seekers to so-called return hubs outside the European Union as early as 2027, as several European countries step up efforts to establish deportation facilities in third countries.
Danish Immigration and Integration Minister Morten Bødskov said negotiations with countries outside the EU had entered a critical stage and expressed hope that the proposed facilities could become operational within the next year.
The plans were discussed in Copenhagen on Friday during a meeting involving Denmark, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Greece. The five countries are among the leading supporters of establishing facilities outside Europe where people who no longer have the legal right to remain in EU countries could be transferred.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said European countries could not allow people without legal residency to remain indefinitely. He said cooperation with third countries could also provide migrants with an opportunity to rebuild their lives in partner countries rather than simply returning them to their countries of origin.
The initiative follows a decision by European lawmakers in June that opened the way for EU member states to establish return hubs outside the bloc. Individual countries, or groups of countries, can negotiate agreements with third countries to accommodate people whose asylum applications have been rejected.
The facilities have yet to be established, but discussions are reportedly taking place with a number of governments, particularly in Africa.
Austria’s asylum and migration minister, Bart van den Brink, said the Copenhagen meeting represented another step toward putting the proposed system into operation in the coming years.
Rwanda has previously indicated that it could be open to discussions with European governments about potentially hosting asylum seekers who are not permitted to remain in Europe. The comments have fueled speculation about which countries could ultimately participate in the return-hub system.
Human rights organizations have strongly criticized the proposal, warning that transferring rejected asylum seekers to countries outside Europe could make it harder to monitor their treatment and ensure compliance with international human rights standards.
Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, said broad promises to respect human rights would not be sufficient. He called for firm safeguards to prevent the creation of facilities where legal protections could be weakened or ignored.
Brussels-based migrant rights organization PICUM also opposed the initiative, arguing that moving migration enforcement outside Europe could allow governments to distance themselves from their legal responsibilities.
Supporters of the policy maintain that return hubs could make deportation procedures more effective and help reduce the number of people who remain in Europe after their asylum applications have been rejected.
Denmark and its European partners are now seeking agreements with potential host countries, with Copenhagen hoping the first facilities could begin receiving people as early as 2027.