EU Parliament adopts new rules on safe third countries and EU safe countries of origin list
The European Parliament has approved new EU asylum rules to enable faster processing of asylum requests. The reform establishes a common list of safe countries of origin while allowing Member States to maintain or designate additional safe countries at national level. It also clarifies the conditions under which Member States can apply the safe third country concept. While the legislation has now passed Parliament, it still needs to be formally adopted by the Council before entering into force.
The concept of safe countries of origin and safe third countries is used within EU asylum law to enable accelerated procedures or to declare certain applications inadmissible where effective protection is deemed available elsewhere. The Council of the European Union had previously agreed its position in December 2025 on the two related proposals: the establishment of an EU-wide list of safe countries of origin and the regulation on the application of the safe third country concept, paving the way for interinstitutional negotiations.
On 5 February 2026, Parliament approved the measures with 408 votes in favour, 184 against and 60 abstentions. The EU-wide list of safe countries of origin includes Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, Morocco and Tunisia. Nationals of these countries may have their applications processed under accelerated procedures, while retaining the right to demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution or serious harm. EU accession candidate countries will also be presumed safe unless circumstances such as armed conflict, EU-wide asylum recognition rates above 20%, or sanctions linked to fundamental rights indicate otherwise. Member States may maintain or establish additional national lists of safe countries.
Parliament also approved revised rules on the application of the safe third country concept. Under these rules, Member States may apply the safe third country concept where one of three conditions is met: (i) the existence of a connection between the applicant and the third country, (ii) the applicant has transited through the third country, (iii) an agreement or arrangement exists with the third country at a bilateral, multilateral or EU level for the admission of asylum seekers, with the exception of unaccompanied minors. Any arrangement with a third country must ensure that requests for protection are examined on their merits.
Following Parliament’s approval, the legislation now requires formal adoption by the Council before publication in the Official Journal and entry into force.
For further details, please read the press release from the European Parliament.