Five European Union countries are planning to launch a pilot scheme next year to send migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected to countries outside the EU, Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum Thanos Plevris said.

The group, comprising Denmark, Austria, Greece, Germany and the Netherlands, aims to launch the pilot project by the first half of 2027, Politico reports.

The initiative would involve returning rejected asylum seekers to third countries outside the EU. Plevris said that the mechanism is expected to become fully operational by the middle of 2027, when Greece takes over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU.

The plan does not envisage establishing detention centers in third countries. Instead, migrants would ultimately be returned to their countries of origin.

Rwanda could become the first country involved in the scheme, while Uganda and Uzbekistan are also being discussed.

The five participating countries are currently holding talks with international organizations to ensure that human rights standards are respected during deportations.

The participating states are also expected to cover the costs of the initiative.