On 16 April 2025, the European Commission released a Proposal for amending Regulation 2024/1348 as regards the establishment of a list of safe countries of origin at Union level. This proposal suggests accelerating the implementation of two elements of the Asylum Procedure Regulation, namely 1) the introduction of a new ground for applying accelerated and border procedures based on a 20% recognition rate threshold for specific nationalities, indicating likely unfounded applications and 2) the designation of safe third countries and safe countries of origin, with exceptions, allowing Member States greater flexibility in defining the scope of safety assessments by excluding specific regions or identifiable categories of individuals. In addition, the proposal aims to establish a common list of safe countries of origin at the Union level, to address some of the existing divergences between Member States’ national lists of safe countries of origin.

The Commission proposes that the list include Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco, Tunisia and Kosovo, as well as EU candidate countries such as Turkey and Georgia — unless these countries are affected by indiscriminate violence in conflict situations, are subject to sanctions adopted by the Council, or have an EU-wide recognition rate for asylum applicants higher than 20%. The Commission also proposes that the list be subject to regular review and expansion, including the possibility of suspending or removing countries if they no longer meet the criteria. The Commission’s proposal explicitly states that the inclusion of a country in the list of safe countries of origin, whether at EU or national level, cannot be considered an absolute guarantee of safety for all its nationals; individual assessment of each asylum application remains necessary.

The proposal must still undergo the ordinary legislative procedure and be approved by both the European Parliament and the Council. The Council’s Asylum Working Party is expected to begin discussions on it on 24 April 2025.

Human rights organisations have expressed serious concerns about the proposed EU list of safe countries of origin. For example, CNCD 11.11.11. argues that adopting a common, binding list risks downplaying the human rights violations and persecution that some individuals may face in these countries. According to the organisation, such a classification could undermine the right to asylum by assuming safety where serious concerns persist. EuroMed Rights has also responded to the inclusion of Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt on the list, stressing that documented rights abuses and limited protections for both citizens and migrants in these countries make labeling them “safe” is misleading and dangerous.

For further details, please read the press release from the European Commission.