On 16 October 2019, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted practical guidance to member states on alternatives to immigration detention entitled “Alternatives to Immigration Detention: Fostering Effective Results”. Drafted by the Steering committee for human rights (CDDH), the handbook contains the key principles and processes to implement alternatives to detention in the context of migration and can help put an end to the wide use of immigration detention as a response to the arrival of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.

The handbook answers questions such as: Why should we apply alternatives; what types of alternatives could potentially be considered; and how might we make them work. The guidance addresses some central human rights standards pertaining to why alternatives in the context of migration are to be considered as well as their possible benefits. It also outlines some potential types of alternatives and how they become effective.

The handbook is based on the insights offered in the Analysis of the legal and practical aspects of alternatives to detention in the context of migration, published in 2017. The Analysis gives, inter alia, a thorough overview of the applicable European and International human rights standards in the field, highlighting critical themes as well as clarifying both the similarities and the differences between varied bodies of the Council of Europe, the United Nations and the European Union.