5 EU states plan first deportation center in Africa

Greece, Germany, Austria, Denmark, and the Netherlands are moving forward with plans to establish deportation centers outside the EU, with the first facility expected to begin operations in Africa in 2027.

"When it comes to return hubs, it's progressing very well," Danish interior minister Morten Bodskov told reporters, arriving at the EU meeting after holding talks with colleagues from the other four nations working on the issue.

"We are moving in the right direction," he said without providing further details.

Germany's Alexander Dobrindt said there were "preliminary" talks but declined to say which countries were involved. More work was needed to make sure any agreement would withstand possible lawsuits, he said.

"These agreements are meant to be sustainable in the long term," he said, adding that he was nevertheless hopeful that a first deal could be sealed by the end of the year.

The Luxembourg talks come with anti-immigration parties riding high across the bloc, as evidenced by far-right gains in Germany this month.

"These agreements are meant to be sustainable in the long term," he said, adding that he was nevertheless hopeful that a first deal could be sealed by the end of the year.

The Luxembourg talks come with anti-immigration parties riding high across the bloc, as evidenced by far-right gains in Germany this month.

EU ministers were set to give final approval to tougher new migration rules allowing for the creation of return hubs and granting authorities much broader detention powers.

The meeting agenda included discussion on using "enhanced cooperation" with "priority" non-EU countries for returns of people with no right to stay in the bloc.

EU migration chief Magnus Brunner said the focus was on Pakistan and Bangladesh, which he said were the main starting points for migration routes to Europe.

People then travel through the Gulf and Egypt to Libya, where many try to cross the Mediterranean by boat.

"We have to start getting engaged at a very early stage," he said.

Two European lawmakers from the Greens group said Wednesday that officials in Rwanda had told them they were negotiating with the five EU countries.

Lawmakers Anna Strolenberg and Tineke Strik, who went on an exploratory mission to Rwanda and neighbouring Uganda, oppose return hubs over human rights and other concerns.

"Most likely the first country that a deal will be struck with is Rwanda," Strolenberg, a Dutch parliamentarian, told a virtual press conference.