EU agrees deal on offshore return hubs in tightened migration rules
Anyone seeking asylum in the EU after rejection now faces a new path: offshore deportation centres. The European Council and Parliament struck a provisional deal Sunday allowing member states to set up return hubs in non-EU countries, with a 420 million euro fund to share enforce
Anyone refused asylum in the European Union now faces a new enforcement path. After months of stalled negotiations, the European Council and Parliament announced on Sunday a provisional deal on the bloc's Return Regulation that for the first time clears the way for offshore deportation centres known as return hubs, Euronews reports. Under the agreed text, member states can establish return hubs in non-EU countries provided they conclude a cooperation agreement with the host state and respect fundamental rights. The hubs can function either as transit facilities or as long-term holding sites for people awaiting deportation. A 420 million euro fund will help member states share the operational costs and enforcement burden. The Council of the EU said the regulation also introduces faster deportation procedures and a common framework for mutual recognition of return decisions across the bloc. Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden led the push for the tougher rules, citing the EU's current return rate of only around 29% for migrants under final deportation orders. The text still requires formal adoption by both institutions before it enters into force. Most provisions will apply immediately after entry into force, with a 12-month transition period for some operational elements. The package is timed to dovetail with the broader EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which begins implementation on June 12. Civil society organisations and left-wing members of the European Parliament have already signalled legal challenges, arguing the offshore-hub model risks pushing protection responsibilities outside EU jurisdiction.