The European Commission has included countries such as Tunisia and Kosovo, where human rights have come under scrutiny, on a list of “safe countries” to which failed asylum seekers could be returned from the European Union.
The EC list, criticised by human rights groups, would allow “member states to process asylum claims of nationals from countries on the list in an accelerated procedure, on the basis that their claims are unlikely to be successful”, the body said in a statement on April 16.
Despite a 38 per cent drop in illegal migrant entries to the EU last year – to the lowest level since 2021 – immigration has remained a highly sensitive issue among the bloc’s 27 member states.
The list of “safe countries of origin”, which included Bangladesh, Colombia, India, Egypt and Morocco as well as Tunisia and Kosovo, could be expanded or reviewed over time.
The concept of safe countries in asylum procedures “may lead to discrimination among refugees based on their country of nationality and detract from an individualised assessment”, said Hussein Baoumi, a foreign policy specialist at Amnesty International in Brussels.
“The EU must ensure that groups at specific risk in each country, for example political opponents, LGBTI individuals, journalists and human rights defenders are clarified, while also enhancing engagement with listed countries to address human rights concerns,” he added.
The proposal was an amendment to the Asylum Procedures Regulation that was part of the EU migration pact adopted in 2023 and due to take effect in 2026. It would still require approval from the European Parliament and EU governments.
In March, the EC introduced new rules on migrant returns, which drew a significant backlash from rights groups that said they could lead to human rights violations.
