The establishment of such centers could certainly be examined if human rights standards are observed there.Image: DPA
June 2, 2026, 1:39 p.mJune 2, 2026, 1:39 p.m
Deportation centers in third countries for asylum seekers rejected in the EU are not a problem for the UN refugee agency UNHCR. This is what a spokesman in Geneva said about the recent agreement between representatives of the European Parliament and the governments of the member states.
The establishment of such centers could certainly be examined if human rights standards are met there, said UNHCR spokesman Barbar Baloch.
“In particular, they could be considered for people whose applications for international protection have been ultimately rejected in the context of a fair and efficient asylum procedure, who have no other lawful basis for residence and who – despite appropriate support – cannot voluntarily return to their country of origin or cannot be immediately forcibly returned to their country of origin,” said Baloch.
Another hurdle before it comes into force
The EU Parliament and the EU states still have to agree to the compromise so that the new deportation rules can come into force. This is usually a formality.
Rejected asylum seekers who cannot be returned to their countries of origin – for example because the home country refuses to take them back or the relevant EU country does not maintain diplomatic relations with the country concerned – are supposed to go to the special return centers (“return hubs”) outside the European Union. (sda/dpa)