The European Union has released a list of seven nations it deems “safe”, aiming to expedite the return of migrants by making it more challenging for citizens from these countries to seek asylum within the bloc.
The European Commission announced its proposal to classify Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco, and Tunisia as “safe countries of origin”.
This initiative is designed to enable EU governments to handle asylum applications submitted by citizens of these nations more swiftly by establishing a presumption that such applications are unfounded.
“Numerous member states are grappling with a considerable backlog of asylum applications, so any measures we can implement now to facilitate quicker asylum decisions are crucial,” stated Magnus Brunner, the EU’s commissioner for migration.
The EU had previously introduced a comparable list in 2015, which was later discarded following intense discussions regarding Turkey’s inclusion.
The bloc is facing mounting pressure to curb irregular arrivals and facilitate deportations, driven by growing public dissent towards migration that has bolstered hard-right political gains across several countries.
In October, EU leaders called for urgent new legislation to enhance and expedite returns and urged the commission to explore “innovative” solutions to combat irregular migration.
In response, last month the commission revealed plans to reform the return system of the 27-nation bloc, paving the way for member states to establish migrant return centers outside of the EU.
As it stands, less than 20% of individuals ordered to leave the bloc are actually returned to their home countries, according to EU statistics.
Read more: Numbers seeking asylum in Ireland down 40% on last year; Call for full reform of Ireland’s asylum seeker process
Italy’s interior minister highlighted that the new regulations represent a victory for the Italian government, which has advocated for stricter immigration policies.
Matteo Piantedosi stated that Italy has “consistently worked at both bilateral and multilateral levels to achieve the revision of the regulation”, calling the inclusion of these countries “a success for the Italian government”.
Under the leadership of Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s hard-right government has pledged to reduce irregular migration; however, its flagship initiative to operate migrant centers in Albania has encountered numerous legal challenges and delays.
Italian judges have consistently declined to approve the detention of migrants in Albania who have been intercepted at sea by Italian authorities, ordering their transfer to Italy instead.
Italy had hoped to send migrants from safe countries to the Albanian centers before repatriation, but legal disputes over which countries are classified as “safe” have stalled the program.
The government has modified its safe list twice, yet Italian courts have referred legal inquiries to the European Court of Justice, which has yet to provide guidance.
Mr. Piantedosi noted that the EU’s proposed regulation allows for expedited border procedures “similar to those implemented in Albania” for potential asylum seekers from countries with an asylum approval rate of less than 20%.
