Five European governments have agreed on a plan to set up deportation centers outside the European Union. Ministers from Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, and Greece recently met in Copenhagen to discuss the plan.
Five European countries plan to create deportation centers outside of the EU for rejected asylum seekers.
The project aims to sign initial deals with third countries by late 2026 and begin transferring individuals to the facilities by 2027.
The proposed centers would be located in non-EU partner countries.
Human rights organizations and officials have raised concerns that such centers could violate international laws.
The coalition of European countries hope to sign their first partnership agreement with a non-EU country around the end of the year, with the goal of sending rejected asylum seekers to these facilities by late 2027.
Germany, the Netherlands, and partner European nations target 2027 for offshore deportation centers
Germany, Netherlands and 3 other EU nations revive controversial Africa migrant deportation plan despite Rwanda failure [ Image Credit: Bernd Elmenthaler / picture alliance / Geisler-Fotopress]
Under this joint proposal, individuals who have had their asylum applications rejected and cannot be returned to their home countries will be transferred to remote facilities located in cooperative third countries.
The participating European states will fully fund these hubs and may offer further financial incentives, commercial partnerships, or other benefits to the host nations.
Ministers involved in the negotiations believe this path is both legal and viable.
Dutch migration minister Bart van den Brink defended the policy, describing the external centers as “a new chance” for irregular migrants “to have a life in a partner country”.
Danish Migration Minister Morten Bødskov also emphasized the progression of the plans, stating that Denmark expects to be ready by late 2027 and that negotiations with non-EU governments have entered a “crucial phase“.
Rwanda and Uganda are considered for the controversial European migrant hubs
Although the five European nations have not officially named any hosting partners, multiple reports indicate that Uganda and Rwanda are the African countries for the project.
Both of these African nations are run by long-standing autocratic governments and have faced scrutiny over their domestic human rights environments.
Rwanda was previously the focus of a controversial asylum scheme with the United Kingdom, which was ruled unlawful by the UK Supreme Court in 2023 due to risks that deported individuals could be sent back to places where they faced persecution.
Human rights organizations and watchdogs have raised serious concerns about the legal and moral implications of establishing these new European centers.
Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, cautioned that European nations risk creating “human rights black holes” if these hubs are established without strict, legally binding safeguards.
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