At least 19 EU member states, including Greece, have co-signed a joint letter initiated by Denmark and Italy calling for the rapid establishment of “return hubs” for irregular migrants in third countries.
“Together we are redefining the European conversation on migration,” according to the letter, which has been obtained by Kathimerini. It adds that “we now need concrete results that will make a real difference for our citizens with solutions based on third countries, as quickly as possible.”
The initiative was discussed during a recent meeting of 17 European leaders on migration, held on the sidelines of the EU Summit in Brussels, where the issue featured prominently on the agenda.
The push for acceleration follows this week’s approval by the European Parliament of the Return Regulation, which provides a legal framework previously missing for the establishment of such facilities outside the EU. The development comes after limited progress on the Italy-Albania migration arrangement.
The signatories describe the initiative as a shared “vision” for externalized return processing. “Countries are now working… to implement the new capabilities, including hubs in third countries. We will personally lead the way to make sure our vision comes to life,” the letter notes.
