European Convention on Human Rights Signatories Seek Reform to Address Illegal Migration
Forty-six signatories of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), including the United Kingdom, have agreed in Strasbourg to pursue a political declaration on reforms by an upcoming May summit to tackle illegal migration. The proposed reforms aim to facilitate deportations of irregular migrants while maintaining the current treaty framework. Signatories emphasize that the treaty itself will not be rewritten and that the process will be consensus-based.
A joint statement by 27 ECHR countries, including the UK, suggests constraining protections against 'inhumane treatment' to the most serious cases and reducing the influence of social, cultural, and family ties in decisions relating to removals. The negotiations chiefly focus on Articles 8, which secures the right to family life, and Article 3, which prohibits inhumane treatment. Should a political declaration be agreed upon, it could signal a significant shift in the application of human rights law across Europe.
Earlier, nine Council of Europe members led by Italy and Denmark had called for reforms in a letter ahead of May. The UK did not sign this letter but has been actively lobbying behind the scenes. Domestically within the UK, the Conservative Party and Reform UK consider withdrawal from the ECHR a policy option. However, government officials such as Kemi Badenoch have stated that withdrawal would not be a silver bullet though it might be necessary to protect borders in some situations. Meanwhile, opposition figures like Liberal Democrat Ed Davey oppose leaving the convention, and Labour leader Keir Starmer along with the Labour government support changes in how the ECHR is applied and interpreted in UK courts rather than full withdrawal.
