Denmark aims to launch non-EU migrant return hubs by 2027

Denmark has signaled its intention to begin transferring rejected asylum seekers to processing centers outside the European Union as early as 2027. The statement came ahead of a Friday meeting in Copenhagen involving ministers from five European nations spearheading the initiative.

The plan follows a June vote by European lawmakers permitting member states to establish migrant detention facilities, termed 'return hubs', in third countries. Under this framework, individual EU nations or small coalitions can negotiate agreements to send irregular migrants to centers located outside the 27-nation bloc, rather than deporting them directly to their countries of origin.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen welcomed his counterparts from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Greece to discuss progress on the proposal. "We cannot accept that people without a legal stay continue to reside in our respective countries," Rasmussen stated, adding that the goal is to collaborate with partner nations to offer irregular migrants a "second chance."

The five countries have been in discussions with governments, primarily in Africa, to host these facilities. In an interview with Danish broadcaster DR, Denmark's Immigration and Integration Minister Morten Bødskov expressed hope that the hubs would be operational by 2027, describing talks with non-EU nations as being in a crucial phase.

Austrian Asylum and Migration Minister Bart van den Brink described the meeting as a step toward realizing the hubs "as soon as possible." In early August, a Rwandan government spokesperson indicated a natural openness to negotiating with European countries on potentially hosting such centers.

The initiative has drawn criticism from migrant rights groups and human rights bodies. Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O'Flaherty warned that "vague assurances of compliance with human rights law are not enough," urging states to commit to safeguards to prevent creating "human rights black holes."

Brussels-based rights group PICUM also condemned the meeting. Director Michele LeVoy argued that outsourcing migration control is an old tactic to move people out of sight and evade human rights obligations.