EU publishes list of "safe" countries

The European Union published a list of seven countries it considers "safe," in an effort to accelerate the return of migrants by making it more difficult for citizens of these countries to seek asylum in the EU, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

The European Commission is proposing to designate Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco, and Tunisia as “safe countries of origin.”

The EC stated that EU candidate countries generally meet the criteria to be designated as safe, but outlined exceptions, such as countries affected by armed conflict — for example, Ukraine would be excluded on these grounds.

The list, compiled by evaluating countries from which a large number of asylum applicants originate, can be revised or expanded over time.

According to Frontex, the EU border agency, irregular border crossings into the EU dropped by 38% last year, to 239,000, after reaching a 10-year peak in 2023.

Despite efforts, less than 20% of those ordered to leave the EU actually return to their country of origin, according to EU data.

Last month, the European Commission proposed a reform of the EU’s return system, opening the possibility for migrant return centers outside the EU.

A candidate country can only be excluded from the safe list under specific conditions, such as widespread conflict, EU sanctions, or if more than 20% of its asylum applicants are granted protection in the EU.

The Commission's proposal is based on input from the EU Agency for Asylum (EUAA), Member States, the UNHCR, the European External Action Service (EEAS), and other stakeholders, including NGOs.

The EUAA created a methodology to help identify safe countries of origin, focusing on those:

generating significant asylum caseloads,

having recognition rates across the EU of 5% or less,

being visa-free but still producing high asylum application rates,

or already appearing on national safe lists within Member States.

Importantly, being listed as a safe country of origin does not guarantee safety for all individuals from that country. EU Member States must still assess each asylum application individually, regardless of origin.