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UK Explores Balkan-Based 'Return Hubs' for Failed Asylum Seekers with UN Backing

The UNHCR and EU have endorsed plans for third-country processing centers, as Britain seeks agreements with Balkan states to address record Channel crossings.

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More than 8,800 migrants have crossed the English Channel in 59 boats so far this year, 42 per cent higher than in 2024
Yvette Cooper told the UN that Britain would not open new safe and legal resettlement routes for refugees until the “broken asylum system” was fixed and net migration had fallen

Overview

  • The UK government is planning to establish 'return hubs' in Balkan countries to process failed asylum seekers, following conditional support from the UNHCR and European Commission.
  • Home Secretary Yvette Cooper met with UNHCR head Filippo Grandi last month to discuss funding arrangements for hosting nations, including Albania, Serbia, Bosnia, and North Macedonia.
  • The UNHCR stipulates that these hubs must meet human rights standards, provide temporary legal status, and ensure adequate accommodation for migrants.
  • A record 9,099 migrants have crossed the English Channel so far this year, marking a 45% increase from the same period in 2024, intensifying pressure on the UK to act.
  • No formal agreements with host countries have been signed yet, but the UK is leveraging international support to navigate legal and political challenges in implementing the policy.