EU Interior Ministers met in Luxembourg on Thursday to discuss simplifying return procedures for individuals without a right of residence. Austria and several other states are advocating for Return Hubs located in partner countries outside the European Union.
The Group of Implementers, including Austria, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Greece, aims to select a partner country by year-end. A new EU Return Directive is being developed to provide a legal basis for establishing these centers in third countries.
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner highlighted recent border measures, including technical upgrades at the Bulgarian-Turkish border. Discussions also focused on legal options for rejections at external borders to manage mass arrivals and hybrid threats.