Everything is almost ready for the EU's new so-called return regulation. The only thing that remains is to determine the actual start date in final negotiations between the European Parliament and the EU member states on Monday evening.
This will then open the way to setting up "hubs" outside the EU where countries can place people who have been expelled but cannot be returned to their home countries for various reasons.
Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark and Greece are taking the lead in getting the operation started this year - with support from the European Commission.
"We are very committed to working with member states to find innovative solutions," said Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner back in March.
“Should be rejected”
There is still no word on which countries might consider hosting the camps. However, an EU diplomat told the news site Politico Europe that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are potential partners.
The issue is sensitive. Although there is a strong majority behind the plans both in the European Parliament and among EU member states, criticism has been heavy - not least from various human rights organizations.
“Return hubs carry serious risks of rights abuses, cannot be implemented in a way that complies with human rights and should be rejected outright,” said Eva Geddie of Amnesty International in a statement after a vote in parliament in March.
Even asylum seekers?
According to Politico Europe, the Netherlands is also working on getting asylum processing started outside the EU, in collaboration with Sweden, Denmark and Malta.
The idea is not to make a political spectacle out of this but to do the legal work so that it really takes hold, an EU diplomat explained to the news site.
However, Sweden denies that any cooperation is ongoing with Malta. As for the Netherlands and Denmark, their governments neither want to confirm nor deny the information to TT.
In March 2025, the European Commission presented its proposal for a new return regulation to replace the 2008 return directive.
The proposal includes the opening of centres in non-EU countries where people who have not been granted the right to stay in the EU can be taken while waiting to be deported to their home countries. The centres - called return hubs in EU parlance - will only be for people who have already had their asylum applications rejected or have been deported for other reasons.
EU member states agreed on their views on the matter in December and the European Parliament in March. The compromise that has since been negotiated is expected to be formally approved shortly.
