Dutch Minister of Asylum and Migration Bart van den Brink revealed that an alliance of five European Union countries is working to establish centers outside the bloc to return rejected asylum seekers.
The Dutch minister said in remarks to Euractiv that the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Austria, and Greece are currently studying possible models and locations for facilities outside the European Union to receive migrants awaiting the implementation of deportation decisions after their asylum applications were rejected.
Van den Brink said negotiations among the participating countries had reached an advanced stage, expressing hope that final agreements would be reached before the end of this year.
He confirmed that any centers established in the future would be shared by the five countries taking part in the initiative.
According to Euractiv, the project gained additional momentum after a preliminary agreement was reached between the European Parliament and EU governments on a new regulation governing return operations.
The regulation explicitly allows for the creation of return centers, known in EU policy discussions as return hubs, outside the European bloc, as part of a comprehensive reform of deportation rules.
However, the EU news outlet reported that the initiative still faces criticism from rights organizations and migrant rights advocates, who warn of the legal and human rights risks of transferring return operations to countries outside the European Union.
The Dutch minister refused to disclose the identities of the countries proposed to host the centers, noting that the search is not limited to the African continent, but includes various regions surrounding Europe.
He added that potential host countries are seeking broader cooperation packages in exchange for taking part in the initiative, covering migration and economic development.
The proposed centers would not be detention centers, according to Van den Brink, but temporary facilities where people would stay while awaiting return to their countries of origin or to other destinations.
The minister also noted the participation of the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the ongoing consultations, to benefit from their expertise in return and reintegration programs.
Tightening Measures
In a related context, a majority of members of the Dutch House of Representatives approved a new law concerning the return and detention of foreign nationals.
If passed by the Senate, the law would tighten deportation procedures for rejected asylum seekers, including the possibility of imposing more coercive measures and fining those who refuse to leave the country.
The legislation also includes measures previously listed under the emergency asylum measures law, which was rejected in April, including expanding the scope of deportations for asylum seekers involved in criminal conduct and canceling financial compensation previously paid to asylum seekers because of delays by the Immigration and Naturalization Service in deciding on their applications.
150,000 Syrians in the Netherlands
According to the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, about 945 Syrians left the Netherlands and returned to their homeland last year, while the Dutch government provides these returnees with financial support of 5,000 euros for each adult and 2,500 euros for each minor child.
The total number of people of Syrian origin residing in the Netherlands exceeds 150,000, many of whom entered as refugees over the past ten years, according to the newspaper.
De Telegraaf added that a large group of Syrians in the Netherlands is still awaiting decisions on their asylum applications.
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