EU Designates Seven Countries as 'Safe' in Controversial Asylum Push
On April 16, the European Union (EU) announced the designation of seven countries as 'safe' in an effort to streamline the asylum process and expedite the return of migrants. The European Commission identified Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco, and Tunisia as nations from which claims for asylum will be presumed to lack merit, thus allowing for faster processing by member states.
This controversial move, which has already drawn criticism from human rights organizations, aims to alleviate the significant backlog of asylum applications currently plaguing various EU nations. "Anything we can do now to support faster asylum decisions is essential," stated Magnus Brunner, the EU Commissioner for Migration. The EU's push comes amid rising public discontent regarding migration and the electoral success of far-right parties in several member states.
In its announcement, the commission also suggested that candidate countries could meet the criteria for being classified as 'safe,' yet specified that exceptions would apply in cases of conflict, such as the ongoing situation in Ukraine. This marks a continued shift in the EU’s approach to migration; a similar proposal to create a list of safe countries was made in 2015 but ultimately abandoned due to contentious debates over Turkey's inclusion.
The current list, which may be subject to change and expansion, was established based on the influx of asylum seekers from these nations. Some EU countries already designate their own lists of what they consider safe; for instance, France includes Mongolia, Serbia, and Cape Verde among them. The goal of the EU's initiative is to create a harmonized system where all member states adhere to identical baseline standards regarding asylum claims.
Despite the introduction of this list, the EU asserted that every asylum application will still be examined on a case-by-case basis, ensuring that existing safeguards remain intact and that asylum seekers are not indiscriminately denied their claims outright. However, critics argue that labeling countries with notable human rights issues as 'safe' is misleading and potentially dangerous. EuroMed Rights, an organization representing various human rights groups, publicly condemned the designation, stating that it could contribute to severe breaches of rights for both citizens and migrants in those nations.
According to reports from the EU’s border agency, Frontex, irregular border crossings into the EU fell by 38% in the previous year, totaling approximately 239,000, after reaching a peak in 2023. Despite this decline, EU leaders, particularly from member states like Italy, Denmark, and the Netherlands, have called for urgent legislative reforms to enhance and expedite the return of migrants. Alarmingly, EU statistics indicate that less than 20% of migrants ordered to leave have been returned to their home countries.
In alignment with this objective, last month, the European Commission laid out proposals for a reformed return system that would allow member states to establish migrant return centers outside of EU borders. This effort has been hailed by Italian officials, with Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi celebrating the EU's latest action as a triumph for the Italian government.
As this situation evolves, the proposed classification of these so-called 'safe' countries will require approval from both the European Parliament and member states before being implemented. The outcome of this proposal will undoubtedly impact the dynamics of the EU’s migration policy and asylum processes in the future.
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