Five-Nation Push for Overseas Return Hubs Sparks Rights Fears
Copenhagen: Denmark plans to open the first migrant deportation centers outside the European Union as early as next year, according to Danish Migration Minister Morten Bødskov. The facilities, dubbed “Return Hubs,” are being developed by a five-nation group within the EU that includes Austria, Germany, Denmark, Greece, and the Netherlands.
The centers are intended for people who are legally required to leave Europe but cannot be sent home because their countries of origin refuse to take them back. Officials say the aim is to break the business model of smuggling networks and reduce illegal migration into the bloc. “Anyone staying illegally in Europe must leave Europe,” Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said after talks in the Danish capital.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said his country hopes to finalize agreements with third countries this year to make the hubs possible. While officials did not name specific partners, recent reports have pointed to Uganda and Rwanda as potential hosts. Bødskov stressed that the project must comply with EU law and international obligations, and that it should significantly cut illegal arrivals.
Despite the serious nature of deportations, ministers insist the centers will not resemble prisons. “We are not talking about detention facilities,” Bødskov said, describing them instead as “open facilities” where migrants could work and build new lives. His Dutch counterpart, Bart van den Brink, echoed this, saying residents would have opportunities in the host country.
The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups. Amnesty International, the Council of Europe, and the UN refugee agency warn of risks including arbitrary detention, abuse, and unlawful deportations. Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Danish Parliament on Friday, holding signs against what they called “Fortress Europe.”
Magnus Brunner, the Austrian EU Commissioner for migration, cautioned that there are “red lines” and rules that must be followed, including human rights standards. Several EU members, including France, remain skeptical about establishing return centers outside Europe. The five-nation group will meet again in Munich later this month to continue negotiations.
