Greece is working with four EU partners — Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Denmark — to build deportation centres for rejected asylum seekers in non-EU countries, preferably in Africa, with an initial plan expected within the next few months.

Migration Minister Thanos Plevris announced the initiative on Greek state broadcaster ERT. "We are not speaking theoretically any more, we are speaking practically," he said, confirming that ministers from the five countries have already met and that technical teams will meet next week to advance the plan.

What would the return hubs do?

The proposed facilities would host migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected and whose countries of origin refuse to readmit them. Plevris said the centres would ideally operate in African countries willing to accept rejected asylum seekers, but stressed that the preference for Africa is "not binding" and discussions are ongoing.

Larger European countries are leading direct talks with potential host states, while Greece participates in the process. The Netherlands has already opened talks with Uganda on the repatriation of some migrants, although it remains unclear whether those discussions cover return hubs or whether Uganda would agree to host them.

Germany signalled its involvement in January, when Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said Berlin had reached preliminary agreements within a working group involving Greece, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands. A joint roadmap would be developed, according to Dobrindt, to create "innovative models" involving non-EU countries.

Why is Greece pushing this now?

The numbers explain the urgency. Greece currently carries out between 5,000 and 7,000 returns per year, but records between 40,000 and 50,000 new arrivals annually — roughly half of whom see their asylum claims rejected, according to Plevris.

The minister called the low number of effective returns a "fundamental problem" for Greece and said the current rate is insufficient given the scale of arrivals. He argued that the existence — or even the prospect — of return hubs would deter people unlikely to qualify for asylum in the EU.

Arrivals have nonetheless been falling. Plevris said irregular arrivals to Greece dropped by 21 percent in 2025 compared to 2024, some 13,000 fewer arrivals year-on-year, and cited a 40 percent reduction over the past five months.

How does this fit EU rules?

The proposal sits within a broader EU shift. Member states recently endorsed plans to create a legal framework allowing such centres to operate outside the bloc, part of implementing the EU's Migration and Asylum Pact, which aims to streamline asylum procedures and accelerate returns.

Several EU governments face growing political pressure to reduce irregular arrivals and increase deportations of migrants who do not qualify for protection. Cyprus, which is shaping its EU presidency priorities, has also emphasised returns.

The concept of third-country return hubs is expected to develop further in the coming months, in coordination with ongoing negotiations over EU return legislation.

What happens next?

Plevris is due to travel to Rome next week for meetings with his Italian and Spanish counterparts. The ministers will also meet Pakistan's migration official to discuss stronger cooperation on returns.

It remains unclear which non-EU countries, if any, will ultimately agree to host such centres, and no date has been given for when any facility might become operational.

What are the concerns?

Human rights organizations have raised concerns about transferring rejected asylum seekers to third countries, warning that such arrangements must comply with international refugee law, including safeguards against refoulement.

Greece's own record is contested. Rights groups have repeatedly accused its coast guard of pushbacks — summary returns of migrants without allowing them to apply for asylum. Athens consistently denies conducting illegal pushbacks.

The model has a precedent in Italy's controversial agreement with Albania, under which migrants are processed and returned outside EU territory at the repatriation centre in Gjader.

Applicants and affected migrants should follow announcements from the Greek Migration Ministry and EU institutions for authoritative updates, as the plan's legal framework and host-country agreements are still under negotiation.