EU Commission proposes faster asylum rejections with new safe country list

The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled a proposal to fast-track the implementation of key elements of the EU’s migration and asylum pact, which was adopted in 2023. Central to the proposal is a plan to simplify procedures for denying international protection, including the creation of the EU’s first unified list of "safe countries of origin."

The Commission aims to provide member states with additional legal and procedural tools to accelerate the processing of asylum claims and ensure greater uniformity across the bloc, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media sources.

“With today’s proposal, we want to speed up the implementation of key provisions by providing member states with additional tools to optimise the processing of asylum applications,” said Executive Vice President of the European Commission Henna Virkkunen.

While the migration pact is officially set to take effect in June 2026, the Commission emphasised the need to act sooner where feasible. “There is just over a year left before the migration and asylum pact enters into full force, but where we can act faster, we should act faster,” stated Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration.

A key element of the proposal is the introduction of a common EU-wide list of safe countries of origin. Individuals from these countries who apply for asylum could have their claims processed through an expedited procedure, on the assumption that they are unlikely to qualify for protection.

The Commission explained: “Some member states already maintain national lists of safe countries of origin. The EU list will complement them and promote more consistent application of the concept, which allows member states to process asylum claims from citizens of these countries under an accelerated procedure, as such claims are unlikely to be granted.”

The proposed initial list includes seven countries: Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Colombia, Kosovo, Morocco, and Tunisia.

The Commission also addressed the status of EU candidate countries, stating that they “in principle meet the criteria for designation as safe countries of origin, given that in the context of their EU accession process, they are committed to developing stable institutions that guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and respect for and protection of minorities.”

This latest initiative by Brussels aims to provide a unified framework to better manage asylum applications and return policies, addressing mounting pressure on national systems and promoting fairer distribution of responsibility among EU states.

The proposal now heads to negotiations between the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament, where it will require approval before it can move forward.

By Tamilla Hasanova