EU countries to announce deportation hub deal with Rwanda

The five EU countries have been meeting regularly to lay the groundwork for a deal with Rwanda to set up centers outside EU territory. The deportation hub would function as a pilot project, with deals involving other countries and EU countries likely to follow.

The anticipated deal, set to be announced in Vienna, would only apply to asylum seekers who have already exhausted all options for securing legal residence in the EU and were rejected. The countries previously confirmed they aim to close the first deals in 2026, with plans to make the centers operational as of next year.

Legal Framework

A recent reform of EU rules made it possible for EU members to cut deals to set up such deportation hubs with other countries, provided they meet international human rights standards. Specifics of the scheme, including nationalities of people moved to the hubs, their living conditions and oversight, all depend on the agreement countries cut.

Human Rights Concerns

Human rights groups have warned that the hubs risk opening the door to human rights abuses, far removed from EU oversight or recourse. The UK's Conservative government plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda were rejected by the UK Supreme Court in 2023, which ruled the scheme unlawful.

Unlike the UK's approach, which aimed to process applications remotely, the incoming EU deal would target people who have already been ordered to leave the bloc's territory. The Labour government that came to power in 2024 subsequently shelved the Rwanda plans.