The European Union has signalled it will back overseas "return hubs" for migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected or who have no legal right to remain in the bloc, according to an InfoMigrants report.

The proposal would move the waiting and processing of failed asylum seekers outside EU territory, a step beyond the bloc's current system of in-country returns and bilateral readmission deals.

What is a return hub?

A return hub is a facility in a third country where authorities hold migrants who have exhausted their remedies while deportation is arranged. The model borrows from Australia's offshore processing centres and from the United Kingdom's now-abandoned partnership with Rwanda.

Supporters argue the hubs speed up removal and deter irregular crossings. Human rights groups warn the centres can leave people in legal limbo outside EU law.

Why is Brussels moving now?

Migration has climbed back to the top of the EU political agenda. The bloc's interior ministers have faced sustained pressure from frontline states in the south and east to speed up returns and ease pressure on reception systems. The Commission has framed faster removals as a missing piece in the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, agreed in 2024.

Who would the hubs affect?

The arrangement targets two groups. First, migrants whose asylum claims have been finally rejected after appeal. Second, people who never lodged an asylum application and have no other legal basis to stay. Recognised refugees and asylum seekers awaiting a first decision fall outside the plan.

Where would the hubs sit?

The announcement does not name host countries. Past EU and member-state proposals have pointed to the Western Balkans, North Africa, and parts of the Sahel, though political instability in parts of the Sahel has narrowed the field. Any site would require a formal status agreement with the host state and a legal basis cleared by the Court of Justice of the European Union.

What would change for member states?

EU support could take the form of funding, technical assistance, or coordination help with third-country governments. Member states would keep responsibility for individual return orders and would still have to apply EU rules on detention conditions, legal aid, and the right to appeal.

What is not yet known

The InfoMigrants report does not include a launch date, budget figure, or list of candidate states. The Commission has not yet published the legal text or framework decision that would authorise the model.

What comes next

EU interior ministers are expected to debate the proposal at upcoming Justice and Home Affairs Council meetings. Any pilot would need three things: a host country willing to sign a status agreement, a financial commitment from the EU budget, and clearance from the Court of Justice that holding people outside EU territory complies with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.