EU Approves First-Ever Safe Country List to Speed Up Asylum
Dec 29, 2025
Category: Uncategorised
The European Union (EU) reached a major agreement to launch a “safe country” list aimed at speeding up asylum procedures and rejecting migration claims more quickly.
This new EU asylum policy will allow member states to fast-track applications from countries such as India and Morocco, starting in June 2026.
Europe takes hard line
The Danish presidency of the Council and European Parliament negotiators finalized the agreement on December 18, 2025. This deal creates a common EU list of nations where there is generally no risk of persecution, torture, or indiscriminate violence.
The list includes Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco, and Tunisia. Citizens from these countries who travel to Europe seeking protection will now face a significantly tougher legal path.
Under the new rules, these applicants are presumed not to need asylum. The burden of proving that their specific situation is not safe will now fall on the individual applicants themselves.
Speeding up exit process
The European Commission welcomed the deal, noting that a unified list will allow Member States to pursue a more uniform approach to applications. Currently, different countries may have different standards for which nations they consider safe.
By June 2026, the list will begin to apply at the same time as the asylum procedure regulation. This allows authorities to process claims from these specific countries faster and more effectively.
Officials expect these cases to be resolved quickly to reduce pressure on asylum systems and reduce incentives for illegal migration. If a claim is rejected, the person can be deported sooner, shortening their stay in the EU.
Ending pull factors
The agreement also updates the “safe third country” concept. This allows Member States to consider an asylum application inadmissible if the applicant could receive effective protection in a third country that is considered safe for them.
EU legislators stated that the goal is to make the asylum system more efficient and robust. They argued that taking action is necessary to stop the factors that encourage dangerous migration attempts.
“It is crucial that we take action to halt the pull factors that maintain an [unhealthy] and [inhumane] system,” stated a Council press release regarding the negotiations.
The revised rules allow member states to make agreements with safe third countries regarding asylum processing outside of Europe.
Refugee wins landmark court case
While the EU political leadership moves toward stricter borders, the legal system is providing a check on how agencies operate.
On the same day the asylum deal was reached, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) delivered a significant ruling.
The court sided with Alaa Hamoudi, a Syrian refugee who sued the EU border agency, Frontex. Hamoudi alleged that in 2020, he and 21 others were caught by Greek authorities and expelled from Greece to Turkey.
The Luxembourg-based court found that a lower court previously failed to properly examine the facts of the alleged expulsion.
This decision sends the case back to the General Court for re-examination, potentially opening the way for other victims to seek damages.
Holding border agencies accountable
The ruling is a rare judgment against Frontex, which has faced accusations regarding its involvement in migrant “pushbacks.” The court’s decision emphasizes the need for a thorough examination of the facts in such human rights cases.
“The General Court failed to properly examine the facts of the expulsion,” the CJEU noted in its findings. This means that as the EU passes laws to streamline rejections, agencies remain subject to judicial review regarding how they treat individuals.
Tightening admissibility loophole
The new “safe third country” law expands the circumstances under which asylum application can be rejected as inadmissible. This is a targeted amendment to the current EU migration rulebook.
The legislation allows for applications to be thrown out if the person could have received protection elsewhere. This is intended to ensure that the asylum system is not misused.
By June 2025, the Commission was required to review these rules and table targeted amendments. These changes are part of a broader effort by EU heads of state to step up work on migration concepts.
Digital walls meet legal shields
This overhaul of asylum laws coincides with a massive digital transformation of European borders. While migrants from the “safe country” list face faster rejections, all non-EU travelers are entering a new era of automated checks.
The Entry/Exit System (EES) started becoming operational on October 12, 2025, replacing manual passport stamps with a digital system. For short-term visitors, the EES records their name, type of travel document, and biometric data like fingerprints and facial images.
By the last quarter of 2026, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will be required for visa-exempt nationals. Approximately 1.4 billion people from 59 countries will need this travel authorization to enter 30 European countries.
For migrants, the EES helps authorities track those who may be using fake identities or misusing visa-free travel. For visitors, ETIAS is linked to their passport and is valid for up to three years.
Together, these systems ensure that every person crossing an external EU border is registered in a centralized, modern database.
New rules redefine borders
The EU’s move to standardize “safe” countries marks a definitive turn toward a more restrictive and efficient border strategy. By streamlining how applications are processed, officials aim to cut down on years of legal waiting and reduce the pressure on local asylum systems.
These changes will fundamentally alter how thousands of people enter Europe, placing the burden of proof on migrants from the listed nations.
As the June 2026 deadline approaches, the focus now turns to how member states will balance these fast-track deportations with the human rights protections mandated by the courts.