The UK and 45 other European nations have signed a political declaration that supports sending rejected asylum seekers to third-country hubs. The agreement, backed by the Council of Europe, claims member states have a “sovereign right” to manage borders. The move follows a similar deal between Italy and Albania, where detention centers were initially used for processing asylum applications but later expanded to hold people awaiting deportation.
The seven-page document outlines plans for processing asylum requests in third countries and “return hubs” for those whose applications are denied. It also seeks to limit courts’ ability to block deportations, citing concerns about the use of ECHR articles 3 and 8—rights against torture and the right to family life—to prevent removals. One provision urges caution when assessing whether expelling someone to a non-ECHR state might violate article 3 protections.
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Labour’s Yvette Cooper finalized the agreement during a meeting in Chişinău, Moldova. The UK is now in “active negotiations” with unnamed countries, though no deals have been confirmed. The previous government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was scrapped after a Supreme Court ruling deemed Rwanda unsafe. The EU has also endorsed the concept, with Austria, Germany, and others involved in talks.
Discussions reportedly include 11 countries—Armenia, Egypt, Ethiopia, and others—as potential partners. Montenegro has denied reports it is considering hosting rejected asylum seekers. However, migration experts question the agreement’s impact. Madeleine Sumption of the Migration Observatory said judges’ decisions are shaped by existing legal frameworks, not political declarations. “How much concrete difference it will make remains to be seen,” she noted.
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Critics warn the document could weaken human rights protections. Alain Berset, the Council of Europe’s secretary general, said talks on irregular migration would occur at a “multilateral level.” Akiko Hart of Liberty called the declaration “a hugely significant moment,” expressing concern that altering ECHR interpretations could erode protections. “I deplore the attempt to relativise the notion of inhuman and degrading treatment,” said Prof Eirik Bjorge KC, a legal scholar at the University of Bristol.
The UK government argues the ECHR needs reform to address migration challenges. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly criticized Reform UK and the Conservatives for opposing international law, calling it essential for combating smuggling networks. Labour’s plan, he said, builds stronger international ties “because we know the relationships we build abroad make us stronger at home.”
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Despite the document, the practical effectiveness of return hubs remains unclear. The previous Rwanda scheme, which cost £715 million by 2024, failed to deport a single person. Legal scholars and rights groups continue to stress that political declarations alone cannot override judicial rulings or international case law. The debate over the ECHR’s role in migration policy shows no sign of resolution, with tensions between sovereignty, human rights, and practical governance persisting across Europe.
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