Germany and EU Partners Launch 'Return Hubs' Initiative to Expedite Asylum Seeker Deportations

Germany, together with Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Greece, has initiated an ambitious project to establish "Return Hubs" outside the European Union aimed at speeding up the return of rejected asylum seekers. The initiative, announced by Germany's Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, is in the early planning stages, with a working group formed to develop a roadmap for implementation. These return centers seek to create an effective mechanism to ensure that individuals who do not qualify for protection face timely departures from the EU, a key component of the new Common European Asylum System (GEAS).

The first meeting of the working group, convened by Germany and the Netherlands, marked the start of cooperation alongside coordinated support from the European Commission. The Netherlands has already secured an agreement with Uganda to establish one such return center, underscoring momentum behind the project. The participating countries emphasize that functional returns are essential for an effective asylum system and to alleviate pressure on the EU's external borders through consistent removal of unauthorized migrants.

However, this approach has drawn criticism from human rights organizations and refugee advocacy groups, which caution against outsourcing European responsibilities to third countries and warn about potentially unclear detention conditions. Luxembourg's Interior Minister Léon Gloden advocated for prioritizing voluntary return programs, highlighting successes in reintegration efforts as a more humane alternative.

While EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner noted an increase in return rates to 27% in 2025 from 19% earlier, he acknowledged that further improvements are necessary. Importantly, before formal negotiations on the regulation can proceed, the European Parliament must review and approve the legal framework underpinning these Return Centers. The initiative reflects a significant collaborative effort among EU member states to innovate asylum return procedures and strengthen the Common European Asylum System.