Asylum policy: MEPs back first EU list of safe countries of origin 

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An update of the EU asylum law to include an EU list of safe countries of origin and speed up asylum claim processing has been endorsed by the Civil Liberties Committee.

• Commission to monitor evolving situation in each safe country of origin (SCO) 
• EU countries free to designate additional SCOs at national level 
• Faster processing of asylum applications 

With 39 votes in favour, 25 against and 8 abstentions, MEPs in the Civil Liberties Committee on Wednesday endorsed the designation of an EU-wide list of safe countries of origin, in line with the Commission proposal. The list would include: Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, Morocco and Tunisia.

EU accession candidate countries are also considered safe countries of origin, unless specific circumstances indicate otherwise, e.g. indiscriminate violence in the context of an armed conflict. In their amendments, MEPs clarify that activation of temporary protection should be considered a circumstance that would suspend the designation of an EU candidate country as a safe country of origin. Other suspensive circumstances would include an EU-wide asylum recognition rate of above 20%, or economic sanctions linked to violations of fundamental rights and freedoms.

Suspension and national lists

MEPs insist that the Commission should monitor the situation in countries designated or presumed as safe and react if circumstances change. It could temporarily suspend the designation as a safe country of origin for the entire country, or parts of its territory. Member states would retain the possibility to designate additional SCOs at national level, with the exception of those suspended from the list by the EU.

Early application of certain provisions of asylum legislation

In line with the Commission proposal, the EU and national lists of safe countries could apply (with possible exceptions for parts of their territory or specific categories of persons) before the EU asylum legislation enters into force in June 2026. Member states would also have the possibility to begin applying accelerated border procedures for applicants whose nationality has an asylum recognition rate of under 20% as from the entry into force of this amendment.

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Rapporteur Alessandro Ciriani (ECR, Italy) said: “This proposal represents a crucial step towards providing the Union with clearer, more coherent and genuinely enforceable rules for managing migration flows. The aim is to offer member states appropriate tools that allow for swift decision-making, while upholding fundamental rights and abiding by international obligations. The debate has strengthened the text and helped clarify several sensitive aspects of the dossier. I hope that Parliament will soon be able to open negotiations with the Council on a solid and broadly acceptable basis. This is an important moment, and I trust that we will proceed with a sense of responsibility, so that Europe can adopt effective tools to manage migration flows while upholding the values we share.”

Next steps

The decision to enter negotiations with the Council is expected to be announced in the upcoming plenary session. If Parliament endorses it, talks on the final shape of the legislation can start.

Background

The Asylum Procedure Regulation adopted in May 2024 as part of the migration and asylum pact, will apply from 12 June 2026. The regulation envisages the designation of safe countries of origin at national and EU level, if there is no persecution and no real risk of serious harm. Such a designation may include exceptions for parts of the country’s territory or for clearly identifiable categories of persons.

The assessment must rely on a range of relevant and available information sources, including data from member states, the EU Asylum Agency, the European External Action Service and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Under the 2024 Asylum Procedure Regulation, in cases where the applicant, including unaccompanied minors, comes from a safe country of origin, the examination on the merits should be accelerated and be completed within three months, unless the applicant shows there are reasons to consider the country not to be safe in his or her particular circumstances.