CoE plans declaration on ECHR and migration
Council of Europe (CoE) ministers have called for the preparation of a political declaration on issues related to migration and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), along with a new recommendation on migrant smuggling.
The calls, adopted by all 46 member states, came at a meeting in Strasbourg today (10 December) convened by the human-rights body’s secretary general Alain Berset.
At the meeting, the ministers reaffirmed their “deep and abiding” commitment to both the ECHR and the European Court of Human Rights.
A CoE statement said that ministers also acknowledged the challenges posed by “irregular migration and the situation of foreigners convicted of serious offences”.
“The instrumentalisation of migration, migrant smuggling, human trafficking, and other criminal activities that threaten stability and security are real and legitimate challenges,” said Berset.
‘National vital interests’
Ministers called on the council’s Committee of Ministers to prepare a draft political declaration reaffirming the obligation to ensure the effective enjoyment of the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the ECHR to everyone within the jurisdiction of member states, “in the context of these challenges”.
They also specified that the text should also take into account “governments’ fundamental responsibility to ensure national vital interests such as security and public safety”.
The declaration is expected to be adopted at the next formal session of the Committee of Ministers in the Moldovan capital Chisinau in May 2026.
The ministers also backed the development of a new recommendation on deterring and fighting the smuggling of migrants, with full respect for their human rights.
‘Core objectives’ of ECHR
Speaking at the meeting, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan backed the plans for a political declaration, saying that Ireland shared concerns expressed by Denmark on behalf of a number of member states about the challenges arising in relation to migration.
The minister said that there was a need to ensure that the ECHR was understood and applied in a way that met its core objectives of protecting fundamental rights, while at the same time recognising issues such as:
- The expulsion of foreign criminals,
- The need for clarity about inhumane and degrading treatment,
- The need for ‘innovative solutions’ on migration, and
- The need for an appropriate balance between individuals’ rights and the public interest, and
- The need to address “the instrumentalisation of migration”.