EU leaders call for swift rollout of third‑country migrant repatriation hubs

Nineteen EU heads of state and government, led by Italy and Denmark, signed a letter urging the rapid implementation of the EU’s new repatriation regulation. The letter calls for the creation of “hubs” in third countries, citing the Italy‑Albania cooperation as a working example, and stresses the need to curb human‑trafficking and irregular flows.

The European Parliament has already approved the regulation, which would allow migrant detention centres outside the Union. Italy hosted an informal meeting of the most interested member states to discuss operational details, while the European Commission, represented by Ursula von der Leyen, outlined its supporting role.

While most governments back the plan, Spain, Germany and France have publicly opposed the external‑hub approach. A joint operational room in Tripoli involving Italy, Qatar, Turkey and Libya has been launched as part of the broader migration strategy. Amnesty International reported that the Albanian centres built under the Italy‑Albania protocol remain largely under‑used, highlighting practical challenges in the policy’s rollout.