Five EU countries aim to send migrants to return hubs by 2027

Five EU countries say they expect to be ready to send irregular migrants to deportation centers built outside the European Union by 2027. The announcement came after a meeting in Copenhagen on Friday attended by the interior ministers of Denmark, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Greece. The ministers said they agreed on a common deal for return hubs to host failed asylum seekers. Around New Year we expect to have a common understanding with a partner country outside of the European Union. The EU legal framework is in place for the establishment of a return hub model and we are not talking about camps. We are talking about opportunities for a new chance for irregular migrants which cannot return to their home country today and that no have no legal ground to be in our countries. The five countries are expected to fully finance the hubs and may also provide other incentives to partner countries. In June the European Parliament approved the strictest ever migration law granting member states the right to set up return hubs by reaching agreements with non-EU countries. The idea has been criticized by European civil society and non-governmental organizations.