European ministers are set to consider controversial plans to send thousands of rejected asylum seekers to third-country “return hubs” this week, in talks that are expected to test the balance between migration control and human rights protections across the continent.
Alain Berset, secretary general of the Council of Europe, told the Guardian that the proposals will be discussed at a multilateral meeting in Moldova on Friday, marking the first time the idea has been formally addressed at a pan-European level.
The plans would involve transferring people whose asylum claims have been rejected to detention or processing centres outside Europe, from where they could be returned to their countries of origin.
Political push for tougher border control
Ministers are also expected to endorse a political declaration affirming states’ right to control their borders, amid growing pressure from several governments to reinterpret aspects of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) that they say hinder deportations.
Interior ministers from multiple countries, including UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, have called for changes to how courts interpret key provisions of the convention, particularly in cases involving foreign nationals convicted of crimes or those deemed to have no right to remain.
The issue has become politically sensitive in the UK and across parts of Europe, where governments face rising domestic pressure to reduce irregular migration.
Human rights body warns protections must remain
Berset said the “return hubs” concept would be discussed collectively for the first time, describing it as a shift from national debates to a coordinated European approach.
“The discussion about hubs was an important element,” he said. “It will be discussed at a multilateral level.”
However, he stressed that any removal system must still comply with human rights obligations under the ECHR.
“We are dealing with human beings on European soil,” Berset said. “That means they are also protected by the European Court, the European Convention on Human Rights. That is decisive.”
Legal and political tensions over migration policy
The planned declaration is expected to emphasise national sovereignty over migration policy, while also seeking to address long-standing disputes over how human rights law applies to deportations.
Articles 3 and 8 of the ECHR — which protect individuals from torture and safeguard family life — have frequently been used by asylum seekers to challenge removal decisions.
Officials are expected to explore ways to limit such legal challenges, though the declaration will not be legally binding.
Human rights groups have warned that weakening these protections could undermine core safeguards for refugees and other vulnerable groups fleeing conflict or persecution.
UK and EU explore offshore processing models
The UK government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer has reportedly explored similar “return hub” arrangements, while several EU countries including Denmark, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Austria, and others have held discussions on offshore processing options.
Potential partner countries discussed in earlier talks reportedly include Rwanda, Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Montenegro, Mauritania, and Ethiopia.
The idea follows earlier failed attempts by the UK government to send asylum seekers to Rwanda under a controversial scheme that cost an estimated £715m but never resulted in any deportations. The policy was later ruled unlawful by the UK Supreme Court.
Critics warn of cost and effectiveness concerns
Refugee organisations and policy experts have questioned the practicality of offshore detention or processing centres, arguing they are costly and unlikely to resolve structural issues in Europe’s asylum system.
Imran Hussain, director of external affairs at the Refugee Council, said voluntary return programmes are more effective than detention-based approaches.
“Supporting voluntary returns is more cost-effective, avoids lengthy detention, and allows resources to be focused on speeding up decisions,” he said.
EU statistics indicate that between 450,000 and 500,000 third-country nationals are ordered to leave the bloc each year, but fewer than half are actually returned.
Council of Europe faces shifting political landscape
Berset acknowledged that Europe is entering a period of political transformation over migration and legal frameworks.
“The organisation has changed many times since 1949,” he said. “We are probably facing a new moment of rupture in the international order.”
The upcoming meeting in Moldova is expected to be a key test of whether European governments can agree on a unified approach to migration enforcement while maintaining adherence to existing human rights obligations.
