The European Union may present a proposal as early as March regarding the establishment of ‘return hubs’ aimed at facilitating the expulsion of illegal migrants, stated Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Thursday.

During a meeting in Vienna with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, a fellow conservative, Kristersson outlined this potential timeline and both leaders emphasized the need for the EU to enhance its efforts in addressing illegal immigration.

The rise of support for hardline and far-right parties across Europe has elevated immigration as a key political issue. In October, EU leaders indicated they were exploring a plan to transfer migrants without legal rights to remain in the bloc to designated hubs in countries deemed safe outside the EU.

Kristersson mentioned that he had spoken with EU Commissioner for Migration, Austria’s Magnus Brunner, who confirmed that a proposal would be ready this spring.

According to the interpreter’s translation during a joint press conference with Nehammer, Kristersson suggested that this likely referred to March. “There is some momentum right now,” he remarked. Nehammer commended Kristersson for prioritizing immigration on the EU agenda and noted that 18 countries within Europe’s Schengen area, including Switzerland and Norway, share aligned interests in managing migrant flows.

The Austrian chancellor stated that the governments involved have successfully transformed the dialogue surrounding immigration, leading to greater participation from countries without an external EU border, like Austria, in tackling the matter. He emphasized, “We can only make progress if we acknowledge that this issue requires a collective solution.”