The United Kingdom has joined 45 other European countries in signing a political declaration that explicitly endorses the creation of third-country hubs for rejected asylum seekers. The agreement, reached at a Council of Europe meeting in Chişinău, Moldova, asserts that states have an 'undeniable sovereign right' to control their borders.
The declaration supports 'processing requests for international protection in a third country, third country return hubs, and cooperation with countries of transit.' It also seeks to limit courts' powers to block deportations, particularly under Article 3 (freedom from torture) and Article 8 (right to family life) of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who finalised the deal, said Labour is 'reforming the ECHR with partners from across the continent.' The UK is reportedly seeking a bilateral agreement with an unnamed third country, similar to the Italy-Albania deal that allows detention centres in Albania.
However, migration experts have expressed scepticism. Madeleine Sumption of Oxford University's Migration Observatory said: 'It’s not clear how much impact a political declaration makes given that judges’ decisions are also driven by domestic and international case law, which this declaration does not change.'
The previous government's Rwanda plan, which cost £715m, was cancelled after the Supreme Court ruled it unlawful. The EU has also voted to allow return hubs, with discussions reportedly involving 11 countries including Egypt, Ethiopia, and Rwanda.
