Austria has entered into a cooperation agreement with the United Kingdom to work on a migration scheme that would send asylum seekers to a third country. 

Austrian interior minister, Gerhard Karner, and his UK counterpart, Suella Braverman, inked a "migration and security agreement," which will see the two countries working closely together on a "Rwanda style" asylum policy. 

"We still have high numbers of asylum applications in Austria, despite a decrease of almost 50 percent compared to the previous year. That's why it is necessary that we take intensive measures. Great Britain and Denmark are developing models for asylum procedures outside Europe, which we are very pleased with," said Karner in a statement on the Austrian government website. 

Austria is the first European Union country to sign such a deal with the UK. Denmark had previously drafted plans to deport asylum seekers to third countries but the proposals have been put on hold. 

Government figures indicate that 43,700 asylum applications had been filed in Austria as of September 2023, representing a 40% decrease. 

Relative to its population of roughly nine million, Austria reportedly saw the fourth-highest number of asylum applications in the EU last year when about 112,000 asylum claims were lodged. 

Also read: Austria: 29% fewer asylum claims in first half of 2023 

Offshoring migration

While the UK's offshoring asylum policy seeks to send asylum applicants to Rwanda, Austria is looking into a policy that would allow them to return to Austria if their asylum applications are approved. Those who are unsuccessful will be returned to their home countries. 

"The aim is to prevent people from taking dangerous routes in the long term and instead carrying out asylum procedures in third countries," read a statement on the Austrian Interior Ministry website. 

Both the UK and Austria are pushing other European countries to revamp international asylum agreements that include the United Nations Refugee Convention (UN) and the European Convention on Human Rights. 

Drafted in 1952 in response to the millions of people across Europe displaced by World War II, the UN Refugee Convention was later amended to remove the time and geographic limits in the original text and make the Convention universal. The UN Refugee Convention is the basis for the international asylum system. 

Under the UN convention, which 150 countries have signed, a refugee is defined as "someone who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion." 

Non-refoulement, which states that refugees should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom, is one of the core principles of the UN Convention. 

Also read: Braverman questions role of UN Refugee Convention 

UK Rwanda policy courting controversy 

Last year, Britain agreed a £140 ($180 million) deal to send those seeking international protection living in the United Kingdom on a one-way ticket to Rwanda to claim asylum. 

The plan has seen fierce opposition from politicians and civil rights groups who have called the proposed scheme inhumane and in violation of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment. 

Asylum seekers have also made appeals outlining the risk of ill-treatment in Rwanda and the consequences of being forcibly returned to their country of origin.

Also read: Fact check: Just how safe is Rwanda for migrants?

The controversial policy is pending before the Supreme Court which is assessing its legality. If passed, Britain plans to start deportation flights in February.

A first plane with deportees was already scheduled to leave Britain for Rwanda on June 14 but was grounded by a last-minute injunction by the European Court of Human Rights.

However, even if the controversial policy gets a nod from Britain's high court, its actual implementation would be another hurdle. As reported by The Guardian, most airlines have refused to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda. The government's partner, AirTanker said: "AirTanker has no intention of operating deportation flights to Rwanda."

The home secretary, Suella Braverman, has said it is her "dream" for the Rwanda deal to happen, reported The Guardian.

Also read: The EU's migration dilemma: Is sealing borders the solution?