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Within a few months, Europe could see the first concrete steps towards deporting migrants who have been denied the right to stay in the European Union...
The Hague, along with several other European governments, is considering starting to process asylum claims outside the European Union, according to a letter from the Dutch government to Parliament.
“Across Europe, people are looking for credible and workable solutions to regain control over migration,” said Bart van den Brink, Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister for Asylum and Migration, adding that “these solutions are increasingly taking shape and have been shown to be legally enforceable.”
The return centers are a controversial element of the major migration reform, presented last year by the European Commission under pressure from right-wing governments across the European bloc.
The idea is to avoid migrants staying for long periods in a country where they have been refused asylum, because their country of origin refuses to repatriate them or for other reasons. The establishment of centres for processing asylum applications outside the EU follows the same logic, giving priority to the entry of migrants whose applications have been approved.
The first return center outside the European Union, the location of which has not yet been made public due to ongoing negotiations with several non-EU governments.
Under the plans, asylum seekers who are denied protection could be transferred outside the EU, while arrangements are made for their repatriation or resettlement elsewhere. The initiative is not just being pursued by the Dutch. Greece, Germany, Austria and Denmark are also interested in joining.
But the Netherlands is also considering whether asylum claims could be processed outside the EU before migrants are allowed to enter Europe. Denmark, Malta and Sweden are also considering the proposal.
According to an EU diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, the Netherlands is working with Denmark, Malta and Sweden on options for processing asylum claims outside Europe. Italy has a similar agreement with Albania since the end of 2023, but the Italian model remains experimental and has faced several legal challenges.
The Dutch government informed parliament over the weekend that it sees no legal obstacles to establishing a return center and an external asylum processing center, following a legal review conducted by the Clingendael think tank.
While the government has not yet made the location of the facility public, talks with several candidate countries are ongoing and an agreement to build it is likely to be announced within the next six or seven months, according to the same diplomat.
The Western Balkan states are a possibility, given their proximity to Europe and existing cooperation with Brussels on migration. Albania is a prime candidate given its existing agreement with Italy. Other possibilities could include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and North Macedonia, which have sought closer ties with the EU and are now waiting for transit routes for migrants.
But it is understood that Tunisia or Egypt could also be approached because of existing cooperation agreements on migration with the EU. Some observers have also suggested creating partnerships with countries in sub-Saharan Africa, although such agreements are likely to face strong legal challenges.
"The idea is not to create a political spectacle, but to do real legal work so that this works and is sustainable," the diplomat added.
The initiative by Prime Minister Rob Jetten's government comes at a time when EU institutions are in the final stages of approving a draft law on migration, which allows for the establishment of return centers.
An agreement on the bill was expected to be reached earlier this month, but has been delayed due to intense last-minute negotiations.
European governments have struggled for years to reform migration rules, partly because of the principles enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights. However, on May 15, 46 member states of the Council of Europe called for these rules to allow for more effective migration policies. / Pamphlet /
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