EU Advances Offshore Return Centers in Rwanda and Uzbekistan

European Union officials are evaluating the creation of offshore “return hubs” in third countries to house rejected asylum seekers while they await deportation. The first locations under discussion are Rwanda and Uzbekistan, with Uganda also mentioned as a possible site. Nineteen EU member states, led by Italy and Denmark and joined by the Netherlands, Greece, Austria and others, have signed a letter urging the European Commission to finance the facilities and to have them operational by 2027. The centers would accommodate migrants whose asylum claims have been denied, differing from earlier schemes that targeted new arrivals.

The proposal follows the EU’s new migration pact and a controversial return regulation adopted by the European Parliament, which seeks to streamline the removal of irregular migrants. Opposition comes from eight countries – Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Finland, Ireland, Croatia and Luxembourg – with leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez arguing that the hubs breach European values and risk human‑rights violations. Funding remains uncertain, as EU rules currently prohibit the use of Union money for such facilities, though the Commission has indicated willingness to examine mature proposals.