First EU-wide safe country list approved
On 10 February 2026, the European Parliament gave final approval to two major reforms of the EU asylum framework: the first EU-wide list of safe countries of origin and revised criteria for applying the safe third country concept. The measures form part of the Migration and Asylum Pact, set to enter into force in June 2026.
The safe country of origin list was adopted with 408 votes in favour, 184 against, and 60 abstentions. It initially includes Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco and Tunisia. The reform of the safe third country concept passed with 396 votes in favour, 226 against, and 30 abstentions.
Accelerated procedures and expanded grounds for inadmissibility
Under the new framework, member states must apply accelerated or border procedures to nationals of countries listed as safe. Asylum applications will be processed within a maximum of three months instead of six, and applicants may be detained throughout the procedure.
Member states retain the possibility of expanding national lists. Accelerated procedures may apply to nationals from countries with an asylum recognition rate below 20 percent. EU candidate countries can also be designated safe if they are not at war, are not subject to EU sanctions, and have recognition rates below the threshold.
Applicants will bear the burden of demonstrating individual risks of persecution or serious harm to avoid accelerated rejection.
Redefining the safe third country concept
The most controversial change concerns the removal of the requirement to demonstrate a meaningful link between the asylum seeker and the third country designated as safe. Transit through such a country may now suffice to declare an application inadmissible at EU level.
Member states will be able to transfer asylum seekers, except unaccompanied minors, to any non-EU country with which a bilateral or EU-level agreement has been concluded, provided that the country meets defined safety criteria.
Appeals without automatic suspension
The regulation removes the automatic suspensive effect of appeals. This means that filing an appeal against a rejection will no longer automatically halt deportation. EU institutions argue that this change aims to reduce procedural delays and prevent abuse of appeal mechanisms.
Human rights organisations warn that applicants could face removal before a final judicial decision is reached.
Political backing and the so-called “Albania model”
The measures were supported by the European People’s Party, the European Conservatives and Reformists, Patriots for Europe and Europe of Nations groups, with some support from liberals and social democrats. The reform has been described in political debate as paving the way for the “Albania model,” referring to externalisation of asylum procedures through agreements with third countries.
The reform represents the most significant overhaul of EU asylum rules in two decades and marks a decisive shift toward stricter migration control.
As International Investment experts report, while the accelerated procedures and expanded safe third country mechanism may improve administrative efficiency, they are likely to generate increased litigation and legal uncertainty, potentially affecting policy stability and governance dynamics across the European Union.