EU budget talks urged to fund offshore migrant return hubs, says Greek minister

Deputy foreign minister Tasos Chatzivasileiou told Europe Today that the EU must allocate sufficient funds in its forthcoming multi-year budget to support “innovative” migration solutions, specifically offshore return hubs. He stressed that implementing any new ideas would obligate Europe to find the necessary resources, and that the pending budget could address the financing gap. Greece, alongside Austria, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, is seeking to speed up plans for these contentious hubs, which would house migrants who cannot remain in the EU.

A migration policy overhaul approved in June now permits EU states to negotiate bilateral deals with third-country partners to locate the hubs, with member states expected to fully fund them and possibly add incentives. The debate has intensified following a mass arrival of migrants in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, elevating migration to a central issue ahead of several 2027 elections. Ministers from 17 EU countries and migration chief Magnus Brunner are set to meet in Munich on Saturday to discuss the proposals.