The Chișinău Declaration: Two trajectories in migration and asylum

Development summary

The Council of Europe’s 15 May 2026 Chișinău Declaration is presented here as a migration-and-asylum statement that can be read in two ways: as a continuation of the status quo or as a subtle rebalancing of the Convention system. The piece focuses on the Declaration’s treatment of State control over migration, transfers to third States, non-refoulement and calls for guidance at national level, while stressing that its medium-term effects will depend on how the Strasbourg Court responds.