Negotiators from the European Parliament and EU Member States have reached a provisional agreement on returning asylum seekers to non-EU countries deemed "safe".
Under the new rules, EU countries can reject asylum applications if the applicant can receive protection in a third country designated as safe, even without any prior connection to that country.
This opens the possibility for agreements with third countries to host asylum seekers outside the EU.
Appeals against decisions to transfer asylum seekers to these countries will no longer automatically guarantee the right to stay in the EU while the appeal process is ongoing.
However, applicants can request this, and the principle of "non-refoulement" – ensuring refugees are not sent to countries where their safety could be at risk – remains in place.
Exceptions apply to minors, who cannot be relocated to third countries without a connection to them.
A third country will only be considered safe if it is capable of processing asylum applications and providing effective protection without persecution or inhumane conditions.
The agreement still requires formal approval by the European Parliament and the Council before the rules come into effect in June 2026.
MEP Assita Kanko (N-VA) expressed satisfaction with the agreement, calling it "a major step towards a better-functioning EU asylum system" that enables member states to implement efficient procedures and disrupt the business model of human smugglers.
