The EU border agency Frontex could gain authority to deport people from one non-EU country to another under upcoming reforms, raising concerns about transparency and rights protections.

Return Hubs are being discussed as centers for expelled individuals in countries like Mauritania, with talks underway with Rwanda and Uganda to establish and operate such centers, involving several EU member states including Germany, Austria, Denmark, Greece, and the Netherlands.

Frontex’s funding and staffing have surged, with numbers rising from about 2,500 to around 10,000, and some political groups calling for a further increase to 30,000–50,000, alongside a budget boost from roughly 693 million to 1.21 billion euros.

Key political figures weigh in: Birgit Sippel criticizes extending Frontex’s powers to third-country returns as undermining legal safeguards, while Lena Düpont of CDU/CSU supports expanding Frontex’s expulsions role and improving coordination with Europol; discussions include mandate expansion and operational focus, including handling hybrid threats.

Oliver Onidi, the EU Commission’s Schengen coordinator, reportedly acknowledged these plans in principle; historically, Frontex has managed expulsions within EU borders, not transfers between third countries.

Civil society groups warn of human rights abuses, lack of transparency, and NGO intimidation, noting past incidents like pushbacks and a leadership change in 2022.

Possible deportation pathways include transfers from Tunisia to Mauritania, Albania to Rwanda, and Morocco to South Sudan, based on newly established or expanding agreements with third countries.

Frontex reform and expansion are planned, including technical upgrades such as drone surveillance, with the agency’s role in asylum procedures near borders potentially strengthened alongside the EU’s GEAS asylum system.