Council of Europe demands human rights safeguards for Austria's 'Return Hubs'

The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O'Flaherty, has outlined four essential conditions for countries pursuing the establishment of "Return Hubs" for rejected asylum seekers in third countries. The commissioner communicated these demands in a letter addressed to Austria's Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, with similar letters sent to his counterparts in Germany, Denmark, Greece, and the Netherlands.

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Your government intends to quickly establish Return Hubs.

These five nations are collaborating to develop a concrete plan for these centers by the end of 2026, with implementation targeted for 2027. O'Flaherty emphasized that while there is a shared understanding of the need to adapt migration and return systems for effectiveness, all measures must strictly adhere to EU law, international law, and human rights standards. He stressed the necessity of a robust legal framework for operating such centers.

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We all agree that our migration and return system needs to be adapted with a view to its effectiveness.

Key demands include a thorough assessment of human rights risks before any initiative, ensuring that the hubs are subject to "adequate, independent, and continuous human rights monitoring" with robust review and suspension mechanisms. Furthermore, cooperation agreements must contain enforceable human rights clauses, and there must be provisions for parliamentary, public, and judicial oversight through the publication of risk assessments, mitigation plans, monitoring results, and agreements.

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All measures that Austria takes must be in full compliance with the obligations under EU law and international law, including human rights standards.