Copenhagen, 03 September 2026
At the informal meeting of EU interior ministers in Copenhagen, Austria and other member states discussed the establishment of return centers for rejected asylum seekers outside Europe.
At the informal meeting of EU interior ministers in Copenhagen, return centers for migrants without the right to stay were at the center of discussions. Several EU states, including Austria, are examining models in which asylum or return procedures could be outsourced to third countries. The concept is part of a broader debate on reforming the European asylum system.
The EU Commissioner responsible for migration, Magnus Brunner, who is himself Austrian, cautioned against hasty steps. There were red lines and rules that had to be respected, he declared with regard to human rights and fundamental rights standards. His statement is seen as a warning to member states that prefer quickly implementable solutions.