European Convention On Human Rights
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the FCDO Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, HC521, of 16 July 2026, page 31, what outcomes have been achieved in relation to the campaign of ECHR reform; and how this will affect the application of the ECHR in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
The Government is clear that it is firmly in the UK's interests to remain a member of the European Convention on Human Rights and is committed to the independence and impartiality of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). But the way the ECHR has been interpreted hasn't always kept pace with modern challenges, including in relation to migration.
This is why the UK, with international partners, worked to modernise the way the ECHR is interpreted culminating in the Chisinau Declaration in May 2026. Agreed by all 46 Council of Europe Member States by Consensus, the Declaration is a significant step towards rebalancing how rights are applied in response to challenges, including illegal migration, deportation and extradition.
The Declaration is part of a wider package of international and domestic measures supporting our Government's approach to restoring order and control to the immigration system.
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