European Commission proposes list of 'safe' countries for asylum returns
The European Commission has proposed a list of seven "safe countries of origin" from which asylum applications could be fast-tracked as they are "unlikely to be successful".
The countries on the list are Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco and Tunisia. While some member states already have a national list of safe countries of origin, the proposed EU list aims to support a more uniform application of the concept, the Commission said on Wednesday.
The list of countries would allow member states to fast-track asylum applications from nationals of these countries on the grounds that they are unlikely to succeed, said the Commission in a press release.
The proposal is based on analysis by the EU Agency for Asylum and other sources, including information from member states, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the European External Action Service.
The list can be adjusted if a country is no longer considered safe, a Commission spokesperson said. The European Parliament and member states have yet to decide on the proposal.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen © PHOTO NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP
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