The Netherlands is continuing plans to create Europe's first “return centers” outside the EU, to which migrants who do not obtain the right to reside in the EU would be deported – the first concrete actions are expected to be taken in the coming months.
The Hague, like several other European governments, is also considering starting to process asylum applications outside the European Union. This results from the government's letter to parliament, seen by POLITICO.
— Across Europe, people are demanding credible and workable solutions to regain control of migration. These solutions are increasingly taking concrete shape and their legality has already been demonstrated, said Bart van den Brink, Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister of Asylum and Migration.
Return centers are a controversial element of the broad migration reform presented last year by the European Commission under pressure from the governments of right-wing member states.
The idea is to prevent migrants who have been refused asylum from remaining for long periods of time in a country that is unwilling to take them back – or for other reasons. The establishment of centers to process asylum applications outside the EU has a similar aim – to give priority to those migrants whose applications are successful.
The first return center outside the EU, the location of which is still not disclosed due to ongoing talks with third-country governments, would be used not only by the Netherlands, but also by Greece, Germany, Austria and Denmark – countries supporting a tightening of the EU's migration policy.
The Dutch government informed the parliament that, following a legal analysis, it sees no legal obstacles to establishing both a return center and a center for processing asylum applications abroad. Although the government has not yet announced the specific location of the center, talks are ongoing with several countries, and the signing of an agreement to establish it is expected in the next 6-7 months.
