Netherlands is studying return hubs for rejected asylum seekers

The Netherlands is one of five leading countries, with Germany, Austria, Denmark and Greece, that have studied return hubs in recent months.

Since June, the law in Europe has allowed wider scope to send people to a third country with which they have no connection. The courts still have to test this in practice.

The coalition agreement of the three governing parties says the cabinet wants to work towards receiving rejected asylum seekers outside the European Union. In February the Tweede Kamer adopted a motion from JA21 calling on the cabinet to present a concrete return hub plan within six months.

Asylum minister Bart van den Brink is in favour of a return centre in a third country. He has been more cautious than Denmark about giving a date and numbers.

At a meeting in Copenhagen this year, Danish asylum minister Morten Bødskov said Denmark wants to put about 100 rejected asylum seekers on a plane by the end of next year. "We see a 'return hub' as an opportunity for rejected asylum seekers to have a life in a new country," he said.