Dutch Cabinet Pushes for Migrant Centers Outside EU

The Dutch government has backed a plan to establish so-called return centers outside the European Union, where migrants who have not been granted residence permits could be transferred. The Hague expects the first concrete steps in the coming months.

The cabinet is also considering processing asylum applications outside the EU. “Across Europe, people are asking for credible and workable solutions to gain control over migration,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Asylum and Migration Bart van den Brink said.

Other countries, including Greece, Germany, Austria and Denmark, are also cooperating on the project. The Netherlands is in talks with several non-EU countries and has not yet announced the location of the first center. According to diplomatic sources, an agreement could be reached within six to seven months.

The Dutch government has also informed parliament that it sees no legal obstacles to the project following a legal analysis. The proposal follows the forthcoming reform of the European Union’s migration policy, which also envisages establishing return centers outside the bloc.

(politico, bak)