European Commission not involved in talks on Uganda return hub for migrants: Spokesperson

The European Commission is not involved in any talks on establishing return centers for migrants in Uganda, the spokesperson said Thursday, adding that reported discussions are taking place between member states.

Speaking at a daily press briefing in Brussels, European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier said that the EU has a legal framework for return hubs, set out in the Return Regulation.

However, he noted that the Commission is not aware of any concrete proposal to establish a return hub in a specific country.

The comments came after recent reports that Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark and Greece are reportedly in advanced talks on an offshore return center in Uganda.

Mercier said the Commission stands ready to assess any mature proposals from member states, but stressed that the reported discussions are taking place between them.

"I can confirm that we are not involved in the discussions on the hubs," he added.