Towards the creation of numerous migrant “hubs”? In any case, the European Parliament recently adopted the “return regulation”, which definitively replaces the 2008 directive governing common procedures for the removal of foreigners in an irregular situation within the European Union.
Among the provisions provided for in this new text is the possibility for EU Member States to conclude agreements with third countries in order to set up “return centers” intended to accommodate individuals who are subject to an obligation to leave the territory.
Depending on the rules adopted, a Member State may transfer migrants affected by a removal measure to these structures. Unaccompanied minors are, however, excluded from this system. In a press release, the European institutions specify that these partnerships can only be concluded with countries respecting fundamental rights, international law and the principle of non-refoulement.
A first structure envisaged in 2027
Although several aspects of the mechanism still remain to be defined, the European Union could accelerate its implementation. In an interview given to Financial Times, the head of the Danish government, Mette Frederiksen, affirmed that “the first return center located outside of Europe” could be operational between 2026 and 2027, also referring to the upcoming constitution of a group of voluntary States, supported by the European Commission, in order to take this initiative on a continent-wide scale.
The idea of outsourcing part of the management of migration flows is not new within the EU. Denmark nevertheless stood out among the first countries to actively defend this orientation. As early as 2021, Copenhagen had initiated discussions with Rwanda with the aim of creating a center of this type on its territory. The project was ultimately abandoned under pressure from the political opposition and numerous human rights NGOs. Faced with these criticisms, the Danish authorities decided not to act, favoring the option of structures financed directly by the EU.
Macron’s opposition
Italy is also among the pioneers of this method of returning illegal immigrants. In 2023, the President of the Italian Council, Giorgia Meloni, concluded an agreement with the Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, providing for the opening of two centers in Albania intended to welcome migrants, regardless of their country of origin. However, several legal proceedings had hampered the implementation of the project and the centers concerned remained largely unoccupied.
Emmanuel Macron, however, is opposed to this project. On the sidelines of a European summit organized in Brussels, the French president judged that this solution did not present the expected effectiveness and did not correspond to the values defended by the EU.
