The United Kingdom and 45 other member states of the Council of Europe (the continent's leading human rights body, separate from the EU) have signed a political declaration affirming that nations have a "sovereign right" to control their borders, explicitly endorsing the use of third-country hubs to detain and deport rejected asylum seekers. The agreement, finalised in Chișinău, Moldova, also seeks to limit courts' ability to block deportations on human rights grounds, including to countries where individuals may face degrading treatment. Human rights groups and legal experts have warned the declaration risks eroding fundamental protections, while others question its practical impact, noting that judges' decisions are governed by case law that the political document does not alter.