The European Council (EC) has approved new migration rules paving the way for the establishment of return hubs outside of the European Union (EU).
Despite human rights concerns, EU officials argue such measures are needed to reduce the number of people deemed to be residing in Europe illegally.
A major topic of Thursday’s meeting, the issue of return hubs, five member states seeking to see these come to fruition places, focal points for the deportation of people deemed to not have the right to stay in the EU any longer.
Denmark says that talks are progressing very well. It’s been reported that one of these return hubs could be established somewhere in Africa as early as next year. It remains an incredibly divisive and controversial proposal. It’s been tried in the past with the likes of the UK and its Rwanda program. NGOs, many of them warned that this could come with major human rights concerns. – Reporting by William Denselow
