Migration: Five States will set up return centres outside the EU in 2027

“ ANDwe hope that we have reached an agreement in principle with a partner country outside the European Union around the New Year” for the establishment of a return centre, said Danish migration minister Morten Bodskov after a meeting of the Interior Ministers of the five countries in Copenhagen.

There was no mention of the country that could sign the agreement during the press conference held in the Danish capital, but Uganda and especially Rwanda are considered possible destinations.

On arrival at the meeting, the Greek minister, Thanos Plevris, assumed that “there have already been discussions with several non-EU countries” and ensured that some are “in an advanced phase”.

“ The aim of the programme is for the return centre to be operational in a country outside the European Union by 2027,” he added.

In June, the European Parliament adopted a regulation on the return of rejected asylum seekers, including the possibility for Member States to conclude agreements to establish detention centres outside the EU's borders, keeping migrants outside their territories in exchange for financial advantages for the host countries.

This regulation, which aims to speed up deportations, has raised concerns among human rights defenders.

The Council of Europe, a Strasbourg-based institution overseeing human rights on the continent, sent letters to the Commissioners of Migration Policy of these five EU countries, making recommendations to deal with potential human rights violations linked to these centres.

The legislation was not unanimously supported by the 27 Member States, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, considered to be ineffective and incompatible with European values.

In August, Rwanda said it had started “preliminary discussions” with several European states, without specifying which, regarding the possibility of serving as a transit country for migrants who would subsequently be deported.

These five countries were the first in the EU to form a group to build facilities outside Europe to welcome irregular migrants arriving in their territories, but others have shown interest in return centres.

Finland has discussed a similar project with other Nordic countries and is already in talks with governments from third countries, the country's Interior Minister, Mari Rantanen, has advanced.

For its part, Italy is operating a return centre in Albania, with two poles in Shengjin and Gjader hosting dozens of migrants waiting to be deported.

Although these Italian projects have always been involved in criticism, some European states such as Germany, Sweden, Finland or Austria have decided to send illegal migrants to Italy so that they can be expected to be deported to Albania.

The measure has been contested by humanitarian organisations, who have repeatedly warned that these facilities may mean the arrest of immigrants in conditions similar to those of a prison and have warned that there is a serious risk of human rights violations.