Dutch government gives green light to establish migrant ‘return hubs’ outside EU

The Netherlands is pushing ahead with plans to set up Europe’s first “return hubs” outside the bloc where migrants who have been denied the right to stay in the EU can be deported — with “concrete steps” expected in the months ahead.

The Hague, along with several other European governments, is also looking to start processing asylum applications outside the European Union, according to a letter from the country’s government to its parliament that was seen by POLITICO.

“Across Europe, people are asking for credible and workable solutions to regain control over migration,” said Bart van den Brink, deputy prime minister of the Netherlands and minister of asylum and migration. “Those solutions are increasingly taking shape and have been shown to be legally viable.”

Return hubs are a controversial element in a major migration reform presented last year by the European Commission under pressure from right-wing governments around the bloc.

The idea is to avoid having migrants remain in a country where they have been refused asylum for extended periods because their host country won’t readmit them or for other reasons. Setting up centers to process asylum applications outside the EU follows a similar logic — prioritizing migrants for entry whose applications have been approved.

The first non-EU return hub, whose location has yet to be announced amid ongoing talks with several non-EU governments, would likely be used not just by the Netherlands but also by Greece, Germany, Austria and Denmark, all countries that have backed a push to crack down on migration into the EU.

The Netherlands is working with Denmark, Malta and Sweden on options for processing asylum applications outside Europe, per an EU diplomat who was granted anonymity to discuss the plans. Italy has had a similar arrangement with Albania since late 2023, but Rome’s setup is experimental and has drawn several legal challenges.

The Dutch government informed the country’s parliament over the weekend that it saw no legal obstacle to setting up the return hub and external asylum processing center following a legal review carried out by Clingendael, a think tank.

While the government hasn’t yet announced a location for the facility, talks are ongoing with several candidate countries and a deal to establish it is likely to be announced within the next six to seven months, per the same diplomat.

“The idea is not to make a political spectacle out of this but to do the actual legal work so that this actually sticks,” the diplomat added.

The push from Prime Minister Rob Jetten’s government comes as EU institutions are in the final stages of approving a migration bill that allows for the establishment of the return hubs.

A deal on the migration bill was expected earlier this month, but has been delayed amid last-minute wrangling.

EU governments have struggled for years to overhaul migration rules, hampered in part by the principles enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights. However, 46 member states belonging to the Council of Europe on May 15 called for those rules to allow for effective migration policy.