19 EU Leaders Endorse Offshore Return Hubs for Rejected Asylum Seekers (euobserver.com)

• 19 EU states sign open letter backing third-country return hubs.
• Italy-Albania deal cited as model; €670m over five years.
• Spain, France, Germany not among signatories.

"Leaders of 19 EU states signed an open letter endorsing the establishment of return hubs in third countries for rejected asylum seekers, modeled on Italy's deal with Albania. The initiative, led by Denmark and Italy, aims to have hubs operational by year-end. Spain, France, and Germany did not sign. The letter was released during the EU summit on 19 June 2026."