The European Union has reached a landmark agreement on its first-ever EU-wide list of safe countries of origin, a move aimed at accelerating asylum procedures and improving the efficiency of returns for applicants unlikely to qualify for international protection.
Key step in EU asylum reform
The agreement between the Council of the EU and the European Parliament forms part of the 2024 Migration and Asylum Pact, which will begin to apply on June 12, 2026. The creation of a common list of safe countries of origin is a cornerstone of the reform, designed to reduce pressure on national asylum systems and streamline decision-making.
The swift progress reflects a political push from EU leaders to intensify work on migration management, particularly around the concepts of safe third countries and safe countries of origin.
Countries included at EU level
At the EU level, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco and Tunisia have been designated as safe countries of origin. EU accession candidate countries are also considered safe, unless they are affected by armed conflict, subject to restrictive measures undermining fundamental rights, or record an asylum recognition rate above 20% across member states.
This framework allows the EU to maintain a dynamic and conditional approach to safety assessments.
Impact on asylum procedures
Under the safe country of origin concept, applicants from designated states are presumed not to face persecution or serious human rights violations. The new asylum procedure regulation requires member states to apply accelerated procedures to such applications, including at borders or in transit zones.
Individual assessment remains mandatory, ensuring that applicants can still demonstrate specific personal risks despite their country’s designation.
National flexibility preserved
Member states will continue to be allowed to maintain national lists of safe countries of origin, including additional non-EU countries beyond those listed at EU level. This preserves flexibility to reflect national migration patterns and policy priorities.
Timeline for implementation
The agreement is provisional and must be formally endorsed by both the Council and the European Parliament. Once published in the Official Journal of the EU, certain provisions of the Migration and Asylum Pact will apply immediately. The EU list of safe countries of origin will become operational alongside the asylum procedure regulation on June 12, 2026.
As International Investment experts report, the EU-wide safe countries list marks a structural shift toward faster, more centralized asylum decision-making. While it promises efficiency gains, it may also reshape migration routes and intensify legal and political scrutiny over country designations and individual safeguards.