Germany has joined a group of EU countries hoping to create return hubs for migrants and deport migrants to third countries.
After talks on the sidelines of an EU interior ministers' meeting in Cyprus, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the group aims to draw up a roadmap and define concrete next steps in the coming weeks.
He said there was a shared goal of reaching possible agreements with third countries later this year.
According to Dobrindt, Germany, Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Greece are taking part in the initiative, which could later be expanded to include other states. He said the European Commission was closely involved, while political responsibility remains with the participating member states.
Meanwhile, the number of deportations from Germany has increased significantly over the past year, according to a report.
Citing figures from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Germany's Welt newspaper reported that about 23,000 people were deported in 2025, an increase of 15% compared with the previous year. Compared with 2023, the figure represents a rise of 45%.
"The migration policy shift is working," Dobrindt told the newspaper. "More returns, fewer pull factors, effective controls: We are bringing order to migration policy," the minister added.
First published: January 22, 2026
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