The Danish minister responsible for migration, Morten Bodskov, stated that they hope to have reached a principle agreement with a partner nation outside the European Union near the New Year for the creation of a return center. This statement was made after a meeting of the Interior ministers from the five countries in Copenhagen.
During the press conference in the Danish capital, it was not revealed which country would be the signatory of the agreement, but Uganda and, in particular, Rwanda, are pointed out as possible destinations.
The Greek minister, Thanos Plevris, who was present at the meeting, confirmed that conversations have already taken place with various non-EU countries and assured that some of these negotiations are in advanced stages. He detailed that the purpose of the program is for the return center to be fully operational in a country outside the European Union by the year 2027.
In June, the European Parliament approved a regulation concerning the return of rejected asylum seekers. This regulation allows Member States to establish agreements to set up detention centers outside the EU borders, keeping migrants outside their territories in exchange for financial benefits for the host countries.
This legislation, intended to expedite deportation processes, has raised significant concerns among human rights defenders. The Council of Europe, an institution based in Strasbourg that monitors human rights on the continent, addressed letters to the migration policy commissioners of these five EU countries, presenting recommendations to mitigate potential human rights violations associated with these centers.
The approval of the law did not receive unanimous support from the 27 Member States, as French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his opinion that it was ineffective and incompatible with European values.
In August, Rwanda announced that it had initiated 'preliminary discussions' with several European nations about the possibility of acting as a transit country for migrants who would subsequently be deported, without specifying which countries were involved.
These five countries were pioneers in the EU in forming a group focused on building facilities outside Europe to receive irregular migrants arriving in their territories, although other nations have also shown interest in these return centers.
Mari Rantanen, the Finnish Minister of the Interior, reported that Finland is debating a similar project with other Nordic countries and already maintains dialogues with third-country governments.
Additionally, Italy already operates a return center in Albania, with two units located in Shengjin and Gjader, housing dozens of migrants awaiting deportation. Despite constant criticism of these Italian projects, some European countries, such as Germany, Sweden, Finland, and Austria, have opted to send illegal migrants to Italy, allowing them to await deportation in Albania.
Humanitarian organizations have contested this practice, repeatedly warning that such facilities can result in the detention of immigrants under conditions comparable to those of a prison, and cautioning about the serious risk of human rights violations.