On June 1, the publication Politico, citing three European diplomats, reported that a coalition of European Union member states is proposing the establishment of processing centers across 8 to 10 third-party nations to house migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected in Europe.
One of the diplomatic sources told the outlet that Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan could potentially emerge as key partners for the EU in its ongoing efforts to externalize the deportation of undocumented migrants to third countries.
According to the report, a joint working group consisting of the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Greece is actively developing the framework for these offshore facilities, known as "Return Hubs." "This must be approached as a mutually beneficial solution for both parties," one of Politico’s sources emphasized. The diplomat added that in exchange for cooperation, the partner nations could be offered substantial development aid packages or a significant liberalization of their current visa regimes.
The publication further notes that EU nations are highly hesitant to publicly name potential negotiation partners at this stage. This caution stems from the severe political fallout surrounding the UK's controversial migrant deportation center in Rwanda, as well as the ongoing legal challenges entangling a similar bilateral agreement between Italy and Albania.
"Securing a concrete project plan by the end of the year—meaning at least one country expresses readiness to enter actual negotiations—would be a great outcome," noted another diplomat on the condition of anonymity.
The timeline for establishing these deportation centers is slated to be finalized during the upcoming meeting. According to the publication, France and Germany are demanding that operations at the deportation centers begin immediately. Conversely, several other EU member states are requesting delays to realign their domestic legal frameworks with the new regulations. The European Parliament is also heavily pushing for the new measures to take effect without delay.
Omonulla Fayziev, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, told Kun.uz that "the matter being raised does not correspond to reality." The spokesperson declined to elaborate on any further details.
Simultaneously, the European Union Delegation to Uzbekistan confirmed that "this matter is not up for discussion."
Meanwhile, as reported by the Orda.kz news outlet, Erlan Zhetibaev, Chairman of the International Information Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, stated that Kazakh diplomats have not engaged in any negotiations of this nature.
"We are currently in negotiations with the European Union to simplify visa requirements for our citizens. If a citizen has illegally left our country, we commit to taking all possible measures to facilitate their return to their homeland," Zhetibaev explained.
These new measures will allow European nations to establish deportation centers outside the European Union. These facilities are intended for the relocation of individuals whose asylum applications have been rejected, yet whose direct deportation to their home countries is deemed impossible. Unaccompanied minors who arrived in the EU will be legally exempt from these deportation procedures.
The legislative package also introduces significantly harsher penalties for individuals who refuse to leave EU territory in violation of official deportation orders—ranging from long-term entry bans to active prison sentences. Furthermore, the framework provides a legal mechanism to drastically reduce or completely terminate welfare benefits for undocumented migrants.
The updated EU regulations have drawn fierce criticism from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and human rights advocates. These groups are raising alarms over the potential for systemic human rights violations, warning that such measures pave the way for undocumented migrants to be exiled to third-party nations with which they have absolutely no cultural or historical ties.
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