EU to list seven ‘safe’ countries for asylum returns
The European Commission plans to designate Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco and Tunisia as "safe third countries of origin", allowing member states to return certain asylum seekers to these countries, according to a document seen by Euractiv.
The proposal will be introduced as an amendment to the Asylum Procedures Regulation, part of the EU migration pact adopted in 2023. It is expected to be implemented in 2026.
It is likely to coincide with an accelerated overhaul of the EU's safe third country legal framework - a mechanism that allows asylum seekers to be transferred to countries deemed able to offer protection, rather than remaining in the state where they applied.
Commission president Ursula von der Leyen proposed binding rules for the return of migrants in March, which are now under discussion in the Council and Parliament. The final list of countries is expected before June.
© PHOTO NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP
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