EU Parliament votes yes to deportation centers outside the EU

The European Parliament has approved a significant shift in asylum policy, voting in favor of a return regulation that paves the way for deportation centers to be established outside the European Union. This decision marks a turning point for Denmark, whose initial proposal for such centers faced considerable resistance in Brussels just a few years ago.

The approval of the return regulation, which includes provisions for external deportation centers, signifies a change in sentiment within the EU. "We cannot have an asylum system where a rejection is not enforced," stated Niels Flemming Hansen, a member of the EU Parliament for the Conservative party. "When four out of five people told to leave the EU remain here anyway, it undermines both our asylum system and citizens' trust that the rules apply."

With the formal legal framework now in place, Denmark and other EU member states are empowered to explore partnerships with countries outside the bloc to host these deportation centers. This move aligns with previous announcements by Danish Minister for Immigration and Integration, Morten Bødskov, who indicated Denmark's intention to pursue such arrangements with a group of five EU countries.

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We cannot have an asylum system where a rejection is not enforced. When four out of five people told to leave the EU remain here anyway, it undermines both our asylum system and citizens' trust that the rules apply.