Five European countries are trying to set up centres to return migrants outside the EU

Germany, Austria, Greece, Denmark and the Netherlands have said they are trying to reach an agreement with non-EU countries by the end of this year to set up centres to return migrants without legal residence.

Ministers from the so-called “Group of Five” countries said at a meeting in Copenhagen on Friday that they had reached an understanding on practical steps to achieve this goal; but they did not name the potential host countries for the centres.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the aim is to finalise agreements with third countries by the end of this year. The group is due to meet again in Munich at the end of September.

The European Parliament approved reforms to the EU’s migration policy in June that will speed up the process of returning migrants and pave the way for the establishment of return centres outside the EU.

However, the Council of Europe and a number of human rights organizations have warned of the consequences of this plan, saying that the creation of such centers may endanger the fundamental rights of refugees. The Danish Refugee Council also believes that this policy will not necessarily prevent migrants from using more dangerous routes to reach Europe.