UK Joins Council of Europe Deal to Send Asylum Seekers to Third-Country Hubs

The United Kingdom and 45 other member states of the Council of Europe have signed a political declaration endorsing the establishment of third-country hubs for processing and returning rejected asylum seekers. The agreement, signed in Chişinău, Moldova, asserts the sovereign right of states to control their borders and aims to deter irregular migration through external processing centers similar to the Italy-Albania model. The document seeks to limit judicial interventions in deportation cases, particularly regarding Articles 3 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protect against torture and uphold family life. While the UK government, led by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, frames the deal as a necessary reform to strengthen national security and international cooperation, human rights organizations have strongly condemned the move. Critics argue it undermines legal protections for vulnerable individuals. Experts remain skeptical about the immediate legal impact of the political declaration, noting that domestic and international case law still governs judicial decisions. The agreement highlights growing political contention over migration policies across Europe, with the UK Labour government positioning this multilateral approach as a middle ground between abandoning international law and removing border controls.