The Nordic countries may set up a joint return hub outside the EU, the Finnish interior minister announced in Luxemburg.
Interior Minister Mari Rantanen (Finns) has praised the EU agreement on tightening immigration policy.
Monday’s deal between the European Parliament and member states paves the way for so-called return hubs to be set up outside the EU. People found to be living illegally in EU countries after receiving negative asylum decisions are to be sent to such centres.
Arriving at a meeting of EU interior ministers in Luxembourg on Thursday, Rantanen described the decision as “historic”.
“It’s very good that we can now move forward with this,” she told reporters.
The new regulation sets out consequences for rejected asylum seekers who refuse to cooperate, such as reduced benefits and allowances, refusal to grant incentives to promote voluntary return, as well as possible imprisonment or other criminal sanctions.
Joint Nordic return hub possible
Rantanen said that Finland and other Nordic countries are exploring the establishment of a joint return hub.
“Finland is carrying out this joint investigation with the other Nordic countries. We are involved in that work and investigations have begun,” Rantanen said at a press conference after the meeting.
Rantanen said that she and other ministers would discuss cooperation with Somalia over its citizens who remain in EU states despite having asylum applications turned down.
“Only three percent of those ordered to return to Somalia do so. That is a very low number. That is why we need to discuss this and find ways to make returns more effective,” Rantanen said.
“Too many tourist visas for Russians”
She said that return hubs should be set up near countries to which EU states have had difficulty returning people.
Under Monday’s agreement, such return hubs could serve either as the final destination or as transfer centres facilitating onward return to the country of origin or another third country, the EU said. Unaccompanied minors will be excluded from such arrangements.
Rantanen also declared that EU countries are still issuing too many tourist visas to Russian citizens, despite Moscow’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
“We need to address this, because this is truly unacceptable,” Rantanen said.
