EU states seek host countries for asylum “return hubs” amid rights concerns

A coalition of five EU countries is advancing plans to establish offshore “return hubs” for rejected asylum seekers, with officials hoping to identify potential host countries by autumn, Dutch Migration Minister Bart van den Brink told Euractiv.

The initiative—led by the Netherlands alongside Denmark, Germany, Austria and Greece—aims to create facilities outside the EU where migrants whose asylum claims have been rejected would be temporarily held while awaiting deportation.

“We are now in the phase where we have done some talks with countries,” van den Brink said, confirming that any future hubs would be shared among the participating states.

Negotiations are expected to continue over the coming months, with possible agreements by the end of the year as part of a broader EU overhaul of return policies. The proposal has gained momentum following a provisional deal between the European Parliament and EU governments on a new returns regulation that explicitly allows for such offshore arrangements.

However, the plan remains controversial, with rights groups warning it could create legal and human rights risks.

“We have to bring [this] to the table in the fall, to see whether there is any possibility to step out with the names of the countries,” van den Brink said.

While potential partner countries were not named, van den Brink said options are not limited to Africa. 

“It’s all around Europe,” he said. “So it can be more than just Africa.”

Officials familiar with the talks said negotiations among the five countries are already at an advanced stage. Host countries, however, are reportedly seeking wider cooperation packages in exchange for participation, including migration partnerships and economic development support.

“The ask from them to us is to broaden up the talks, not only on the returns, but also on migration partnerships, economic developments,” he said.

Van den Brink said the hubs would not function as detention centres, but as temporary facilities for people awaiting return.

“It will be a place where they can stay for as long as they want, and then, they can go,” he said.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) are involved in discussions, he added.

“That’s also why IOM and UNHCR are within the talks, because they have the experience on how to bring people back to their country of origin and how to reintegrate people,” he said.

A key unresolved issue is funding for onward travel. 

“That will be in place in the partnerships,” van den Brink said. “We have to discuss that.”

The proposal builds on earlier calls by EU governments for “innovative solutions” on migration, including processing or returning asylum seekers outside the bloc, with potential backing from development aid and visa incentives.

Among the countries being considered for cooperation are Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, alongside other potential partners in Central Asia and beyond, although EU governments are reportedly reluctant to publicly confirm any specific destinations due to legal and political sensitivities.

By Sabina Mammadli