The European Parliament has given final approval to a list of safe countries of origin. For asylum seekers from these countries, this means stricter rules and faster procedures.
EU tightens asylum laws. A majority of MEPs voted in favour of the first list of safe countries of origin, which applies to the entire EU. Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco and Tunisia are now considered safe countries. Asylum applications from citizens of these countries will be processed more quickly.
In principle, candidate countries for EU membership will also be classified as safe countries of origin. Exceptions are made for countries experiencing war or serious human rights violations. The aim of the regulation is to standardize and shorten asylum procedures within the EU.
Shorter asylum procedures
With the entry into force of the classification, the conditions for asylum seekers from these countries also change. So not only are the procedures shortened, but at the same time the burden of proof falls more on the asylum seekers. Access to the labor market is often also limited.
39 organizations and human rights groups, including Pro Asyl and SOS Humanity, criticized the new regulation. According to them, it does not make it easier to expel asylum seekers, as this was possible before. But it restricts the rights of asylum seekers from the countries included in the list, for example in terms of access to the labor market, which is problematic from the perspective of integration policies.
The regulation is part of the EU's migration and asylum package, which is scheduled to enter into force in June 2026./DW Shqip
