The EU proposes the first European list of safe countries of origin

BRUSSELS – The European Commission proposed on Wednesday the first list of safe countries of origin whose citizens will find it harder to obtain asylum and whose return will be easier and simpler.

The list of safe countries of origin includes Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco, and Tunisia.

With this proposal, the Commission aims to expedite the decision-making processes regarding asylum as applications from these countries have low chances of success. Citizens from these countries will find it more difficult to obtain asylum in the EU, and their return will be accelerated.

Some member states already have national lists of safe countries of origin, but until now there has not been a harmonized European list. According to the Commission, this encourages asylum seekers to choose a member state with more flexible rules in which to seek international protection. This proposal is intended to help stop that.

The Commission also believes that candidate countries for EU membership generally meet the criteria to be designated as safe countries of origin because, in their path towards EU membership, they are working to achieve the stability of institutions that guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and the respect and protection of minorities.

A candidate country would be excluded from the list of safe countries only under certain special circumstances: general violence in conflicts, sanctions imposed by the Council against that country, or when the approval rate for asylum applications from that country exceeds 20 percent. (April 16, 2025)