UK and 45 European Countries Sign Agreement to Send Asylum Seekers to Third Country Hubs
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The UK and 45 other European nations have signed a political declaration endorsing the use of third country hubs for unwanted asylum seekers, aiming to control irregular migration and potentially limit judicial intervention in deportations.
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The UK and 45 other European countries have signed a political declaration endorsing the use of third country hubs for unwanted asylum seekers. The agreement, facilitated by the Council of Europe, emphasizes the sovereign right of states to control borders and explores new approaches to irregular migration, including processing asylum requests in third countries and establishing 'return hubs'.
The UK is pursuing a deal similar to Italy’s agreement with Albania, where detention centers were set up. However, Italy has since used these facilities for individuals awaiting deportation, sparking concerns over safety and human rights. The declaration attempts to provide more flexibility for countries to deport individuals to places where they might face inhuman or degrading treatment, potentially limiting judicial intervention under Article 3 of the ECHR, which prohibits such treatment.
Ministers argue that Articles 3 and 8 of the ECHR (rights to life free from torture and family life) have hindered the removal of individuals with no right to stay in the UK. The declaration cautions against automatic assumptions that expulsion to non-ECHR states violates Article 3. Critics, including legal academics and human rights groups, warn that this could weaken human rights protections and set a dangerous precedent.
Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory, questions the declaration’s practical impact given the influence of domestic and international case law. Yvette Cooper, UK Foreign Secretary, defended the approach as necessary for national interest, contrasting it with more extreme proposals from other parties. The EU has also explored return hubs, with several countries engaged in talks, and discussions reportedly focusing on 11 potential host nations.
Human rights organizations, such as Liberty, express deep concern over the potential erosion of human rights. The declaration’s impact on immigration cases remains uncertain, with experts highlighting the complexity of legal frameworks involved.
