The EU’s art of keeping people on the move as far away from Europe as possible while keeping legal responsibility at arm’s length. Officially described as partnerships with third countries to manage migration; unofficially, paying others to do Europe’s border control. 

Features include: 

• Borders relocated far beyond EU territory  
• Development aid replaced by migration enforcement funding  
• Legal accountability outsourced, democratic oversight lost   
• Human rights concerns acknowledged… then delegated 

Example: 

“The EU insisted it wasn’t closing its doors—it was simply building the capacity of neighbouring countries to improve migration management.” 

Translation: 

“The EU signed a new migration agreement, while reports of arbitrary detention and human rights abuses in the partner country piled up.”