Negotiators from the European Parliament and Council have reached a political agreement on the creation of the European Union’s first-ever list of safe countries of origin, designating Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, Morocco and Tunisia as safe, to accelerate asylum procedures for nationals from these nations while allowing member states to maintain national lists.
Parliament and Council negotiators concluded an informal deal on Thursday in Brussels for an EU-wide list of safe countries of origin, fast-tracking asylum requests from Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, Morocco and Tunisia, as proposed by the European Commission in April 2025 to streamline processing of low-recognition claims.
Provisional Agreement Reached on EU-Wide Safe Countries List
The Council of the European Union confirmed its position on the EU-wide list of safe countries of origin, covering Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco and Tunisia, alongside provisions for safe third countries, aiming to accelerate asylum procedures and better manage applications unlikely to require protection, according to the European Movement in Belgium. On 18 December, negotiators from the Danish presidency of the Council and the European Parliament reached this provisional agreement, with the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee having endorsed the same countries on 3 December, as reported by the European Parliament press service. EU accession candidate countries are also presumed safe unless affected by armed conflict, measures impacting fundamental rights or an EU-wide asylum recognition rate exceeding 20 per cent.
As reported by Alessandro Ciriani for the European Parliament, “Today’s agreement confirms a turning point in the EU’s management of migration. This is a concrete achievement that will equip the Union with clear and binding tools to address migratory flows and pressures.”
Background to the EU Asylum Policy Initiative
The European Commission proposed the first EU-wide list of safe countries of origin in April 2025, selecting nations from which significant irregular migrant flows arrive but where fewer than 5 per cent of asylum claims are granted, based on analysis by the EU Asylum Agency, UNHCR reports, the European External Action Service, civil society and international media, according to Eunews. This followed national efforts, such as Italy adding Egypt and Bangladesh to its list to facilitate transfers to Albania for accelerated assessments. The Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee backed the proposal on 25 November with 39 votes in favour, 25 against and 8 abstentions, clarifying suspensive circumstances like temporary protection activation or EU sanctions linked to rights violations.
Criteria and Monitoring Mechanisms Outlined
Under the agreement, applicants from listed countries face a rebuttable presumption of no serious persecution risk, enabling accelerated border or transit zone procedures completed within three months unless individual circumstances prove otherwise, as detailed by the European Parliament. The Commission will monitor conditions, potentially suspending designations for entire countries or territories based on member state data, EU Asylum Agency input, UNHCR and others, while member states retain rights to additional national lists except for EU-suspended nations, per the European Council on Refugees and Exiles reporting on related concepts. Eunews noted the list’s dynamic nature, allowing future expansions via ordinary legislative procedure, with no objections from the Commission if states treat delisted countries as safe for two years post-removal.
Stakeholder Reactions and Potential Implications
Rapporteur Alessandro Ciriani (ECR, Italy) described the list, including Tunisia, Egypt, India, Colombia, Bangladesh, Morocco and Kosovo plus candidates, as “a practical instrument to speed up procedures, focus resources on those entitled to protection, and reduce the abuses that burden national systems,” according to the European Parliament. Amnesty International criticised the rules, stating they “undermine the foundation of refugee protection” by presuming nationals from Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, Morocco, Tunisia and candidates do not need protection, channelling claims into accelerated procedures that detract from individual assessments, with provisions applicable immediately. Civil.ge highlighted that while Georgia, an EU candidate since December 2023, is not explicitly named, it falls under the presumption unless exceptions apply. The agreement now awaits formal approval by Parliament and Council to finalise texts integrating with the 2024 Asylum Procedure Regulation.
Parliament and Council negotiators have agreed on the EU’s inaugural list of safe countries of origin—Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, Morocco and Tunisia—plus candidates under specified conditions, enabling faster asylum processing, ongoing Commission monitoring and member state flexibility on national designations.
