The five countries are considered trailblazers for other EU countries; their discussions are attended by an observer from the European Commission. The Group of Five will meet again at the end of this month, this time in Munich.
Italy
Notably absent from the discussions is Italy, which last year already built its own return center in Albania, thereby effectively getting ahead of European decisions. To the great displeasure of Italian Prime Minister Meloni, Italy has not been able to put that return prison in Albania into operation due to rulings by Italian courts. These courts deemed the forced deportations of rejected asylum seekers illegal and possibly a violation of human rights.
Germany, Austria, Greece, Denmark, and the Netherlands expect such a center to be operational by 2027. The plans have been made possible by new European migration rules. In June, the European Parliament approved stricter regulations meant to accelerate the return of migrants.
Promotion
With others
The five countries also want to involve international organizations in further development. Denmark reported that consultations are being sought with the International Organization for Migration and the UN Refugee Agency. UNHCR stated it had not yet received details of the proposal and therefore could not comment substantively on the agreements.
The Group of Five intends to continue. The countries have already discussed their migration plans several times this year and will meet again at the end of September, this time in Munich. Denmark expects to be ready by the end of 2027 at the latest to actually send migrants to a joint return center outside the EU.
Reservations
Human rights organizations have major objections to the plans. They fear that migrants outside Europe will end up in prison-like facilities, receive insufficient legal protection, or be detained for long periods. There are also warnings about potential persecution, mistreatment, and other violations of fundamental rights in countries where migrants are sent.
The Council of Europe has also warned about the legal consequences. According to the organization, return centers outside the EU carry significant risks. Migrants must maintain access to legal assistance and protection. The responsibility for this does not disappear when a rejected asylum seeker is housed outside EU territory.
Shifting responsibility
Critics also place the plan within a broader development in which European countries shift parts of their migration policy to poorer countries. African and European activists warn that not only border control and detention are outsourced, but also responsibilities towards migrants and refugees. They oppose financial or diplomatic agreements to that effect.