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Belgium sceptical about return centers in third countries

by AI | 17.Oct 2024 | Europe in brief AI

The European heads of state and government leaders spoke at a summit in Brussels about “innovative solutions” to reduce the influx of migrants without asylum rights and to accelerate the outflow. Some member states advocate for return centers in third countries, Belgium is skeptical.

The Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof (Photo: Ramon Van Flymen/ANP/dpa)

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spiced up the discussion in advance with a letter suggesting the development of “return hubs” outside the EU. She is attentively looking at the cooperation between Italy and Albania, but the new Dutch proposal to accommodate failed asylum seekers in Uganda also stands out.

“This is a serious idea, but one with many pitfalls, which still needs to be looked into carefully. This all still needs to be worked out,” declared Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof before the start of the summit. “The intention is for failed asylum seekers to be able to return to their country of origin from such a hub in their region.”

Schoof consulted with the heads of government of Hungary, Italy, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Greece, and Malta, among others, on the sidelines of the summit. “An interesting lineup of countries coming to discuss the migration issue,” Schoof called it. Von der Leyen also took a seat at the table.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo is skeptical about the Dutch proposal regarding Uganda. “In recent years, I have seen that such solutions are either very expensive or not very effective,” he said. EU member states can certainly make such bilateral agreements, but according to De Croo, broader agreements with countries of origin and transit work better.

“We helped conclude the European agreements with Egypt, Tunisia, and Mauritania, and they do work today. The influx from those countries has dropped sharply,” said De Croo. Therefore, the Prime Minister stated, it is crucial to expand existing agreements and establish new partnerships with third countries. “They really have an effect.”

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