As early as March 2025, the European Commission therefore presented a draft for a new Return Regulation intended to provide a legal framework for these deportation centers outside the EU. Two weeks ago, on March 9, 2026, the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice, and Home Affairs (LIBE Committee) presented new “Alternative Compromise Amendments” with the support of the right and far-right, which is even more restrictive than the Commission’s draft. Before trilogue negotiations between the Commission, the Council, and the Parliament can begin, the Parliament must still formally vote on the draft.

But what exactly are return hubs, what is the current legal situation under European law, and what does the draft of the new Return Regulation propose regarding them? Our briefing answers these questions in a clear and accessible manner.

At the same time, we demonstrate which human rights standards must apply—and why return hubs cannot possibly meet them: Deported asylum seekers face a violation of the principle of non-refoulement and detention in prison-like conditions. The protection of particularly vulnerable individuals cannot be guaranteed—and access to effective legal protection within the hubs is systematically restricted for everyone.

Our conclusion: From a human rights perspective, return hubs add a new dimension to the externalization of refugee protection that is unacceptable.

Find the full briefing here.