Greece Backs Migrant Return Hubs in Third Countries

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Greece has taken an active role in an agreement to establish Return Hubs in safe third countries, particularly in Africa, as European countries move towards a new model for handling the return of migrants who do not qualify for international protection.

The agreement emerged from a meeting of the Core Group of European migration ministers, which concluded in Copenhagen on Saturday. The group includes Denmark, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Greece, with Greek Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris representing Athens.

The meeting marked a significant step in European migration policy, as the participating countries moved from political declarations to a specific framework for implementing Return Hubs in safe third countries.

Greece holds a particularly prominent position in the initiative as the only southern European country actively participating in the group shaping the new strategy.

Agreement on legal framework

During the meeting, the ministers confirmed agreement on the key principles of a framework for future cooperation with a third-country partner.

The countries plan to make full use of the new European Returns Regulation, which is expected to enter into force in autumn 2026.

The framework aims to ensure that the Return Hubs operate within European and international law while also making the system more effective.

Plevris attended the meeting alongside Nadia Papakosta, Secretary General for Migration Policy, and Marios Kaleas, Governor of the Asylum Service.

Plevris: Return Hubs are a national necessity

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Plevris described the Copenhagen meeting as a milestone for European migration policy.

“We are proving in practice that Europe can design and implement bold, innovative and effective solutions,” he said.

Plevris stressed that Greece supports the creation of Return Hubs only on the basis of full legality and respect for European and international law.

The participating countries agreed on a specific roadmap covering legal requirements and national timelines, he said.

Technical meetings and consultations with potential third countries have also already begun.

“We are particularly optimistic that very soon we will be able to reach a mutually beneficial agreement that will put the model into operation,” Plevris said.

For Greece, which lies on the European Union’s external borders and carries what the minister described as a disproportionate burden in managing migration flows, Return Hubs represent more than a theoretical policy option.

“They constitute an imperative national need,” Plevris said.

Greece seeks stronger returns policy

Plevris argued that Greece remains at the forefront of European solidarity while simultaneously pursuing measures aimed at deterring irregular migration.

He said Greece could not allow itself to become a permanent holding point for people who do not qualify for international protection.

By combining strict legal standards, strategic planning and close cooperation with international organisations, Plevris said, European countries can build a return system that is fair but, above all, effective.

The objective, he added, is to strengthen border protection and restore order in the management of migration flows.

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