BRUSSELS — France has reiterated its opposition to proposals allowing European Union member states to establish migrant “return hubs” in third countries, with President Emmanuel Macron saying on Friday that such centers have not demonstrated their effectiveness and raise questions about compatibility with European values.
Speaking at the conclusion of a two-day EU summit in Brussels, Macron said France supported efforts to improve the return of migrants who have no legal right to remain in the bloc but remained unconvinced by plans to transfer rejected asylum seekers to facilities outside the European Union. “We need effective return policies,” Macron said, while questioning whether offshore return centers would achieve that objective, according to comments reported by Reuters.
The debate follows a series of EU decisions aimed at tightening migration rules. Earlier this month, the European Parliament approved legislation that would permit member states to establish return hubs in non-EU countries and accelerate deportation procedures for migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected. The measure forms part of a broader overhaul of the bloc’s migration and asylum framework.
Under the new rules, member states would be allowed to conclude agreements with third countries to host return hubs, either as final destinations or as transfer centers pending onward removal. EU institutions have said any arrangements must comply with international law and respect fundamental rights, including the principle of non-refoulement. Unaccompanied minors would be excluded from such agreements.
France’s position places it among a group of EU countries expressing reservations about the policy. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also opposed the proposal, arguing that such facilities would be costly and ineffective, according to Reuters. Other member states, including Greece, have moved forward with plans to explore return hubs as part of broader efforts to increase deportations of migrants who are not granted protection.
Supporters of the policy say it could improve enforcement of return decisions and strengthen the credibility of EU migration rules. EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner has said safeguards would be in place and that respect for human rights standards is “non-negotiable.”
Human rights organizations and some lawmakers have criticized the proposal, warning that offshore facilities could weaken protections for asylum seekers and create legal uncertainties. The European Parliament’s approval this week highlighted continuing divisions within the bloc over migration policy.
As of Friday, the legislation had received parliamentary approval, but implementation would depend on decisions by individual member states and the negotiation of agreements with third countries. France maintained its opposition to the return-hub approach, while discussions among EU governments continued.
