The European Parliament gave its approval on Tuesday for a new set of rules governing asylum procedures across the EU, voting 408 in favour, 184 against and 60 abstentions. The decision includes the creation of an EU‑wide list of safe‑origin countries and also endorses an agreement that introduces a regulation on the application of the safe‑third‑country concept.
With the list in place, asylum seekers from countries such as Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, Morocco and Tunisia will receive much faster processing of their claims. Applicants must still demonstrate that, in their individual case, the safe‑origin classification does not apply. EU accession candidates are automatically treated as safe origin countries, unless there are specific circumstances that warrant a different assessment.
The European Commission will keep monitoring the situation in each of the listed countries and may propose changes to the list when necessary. The agreements now await formal ratification by the European Council.
