Denmark Sets 2027 Target for Launch of Non-EU Migrant Return Centers

Denmark has announced its ambition to commence transferring rejected asylum seekers to non-European Union “return hubs” as early as 2027, marking a significant development ahead of a Friday gathering of five nations spearheading European efforts to establish such offshore processing facilities.

European legislators approved measures in June permitting member states to establish migrant detention centers beyond EU borders, commonly referred to as “return hubs.” This authorization enables any EU nation to independently negotiate or form small coalitions to relocate migrants not to their countries of origin but to facilities yet to be constructed in third-party nations outside the 27-member bloc.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen addressed delegates on Friday, stating: “We cannot accept that individuals lacking legal residence permits continue to stay in our respective countries.” His remarks came as he received ministers from Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, and Greece in Copenhagen to evaluate progress on establishing deportation centers outside Europe.

Rasmussen further expressed: “Simultaneously, we aim to collaborate with third countries to provide irregular migrants with an opportunity for a fresh start in a partner nation.”

The five participating nations have been engaged in negotiations with governments primarily in Africa to host facilities for detaining rejected asylum seekers, positioning themselves as pioneers for this initiative across the broader EU.

In an interview with Danish broadcaster DR published Friday, Denmark’s Immigration and Integration Minister Morten Bødskov expressed optimism that the non-EU return hubs could be operational by 2027, noting that discussions with third-party countries have reached a pivotal stage.

Austrian Asylum and Migration Minister Bart van den Brink remarked in Copenhagen: “Today we are taking the next step alongside my European colleagues to make return hubs a reality as swiftly as possible in the coming years.”

In early August, a Rwandan government spokesperson informed local media that engaging in negotiations with European and other countries to potentially accommodate asylum seekers who cannot reside elsewhere was “a natural course of action.”

Human rights organizations have voiced strong criticism regarding European endeavors to establish deportation centers abroad, expressing concerns about the challenges of monitoring and ensuring compliance with human rights standards in such locations.

In a written statement, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty cautioned: “Vague assurances of compliance with human rights law are insufficient.”

He emphasized: “Nations must commit to implementing necessary safeguards to prevent the creation of human rights vacuums.”

The Brussels-based rights organization PICUM issued a condemnation of the Copenhagen meeting.

Director Michele LeVoy stated: “While EU leaders may characterize these centers as an ‘innovative solution,’ outsourcing migration control represents an age-old strategy merely designed to move people out of public view and circumvent human rights obligations.”

Source link