Nationals from Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, Morocco, and Tunisia will face fast-tracked asylum procedures in the European Union under a provisional deal reached between the European Parliament and the European Council.
The agreement introduces an EU-wide list of "safe countries of origin," meaning nationals from the listed countries must provide evidence that their individual circumstances merit asylum in the EU, the European Parliament announced on Thursday.
This designation aims to streamline applications by treating cases from these countries as less likely to merit international protection.
Under the new rules, the European Commission will monitor the human rights situation in all countries on the list, as well as any EU candidate countries, and update their status if conditions change.
The agreement allows the Commission to temporarily remove countries from the list if evidence of serious risks, such as ongoing violence or repression, emerges.
National lists and fast-track procedures
Member states will retain the option to add more countries to their own national lists of safe countries, except for any states suspended at the EU level, the statement noted.
In addition, if asylum applicants from certain countries have an EU-wide recognition rate — the proportion of applicants granted asylum — below 20%, accelerated border procedures can be applied.
The deal also clarifies that the European Court of Justice will handle legal challenges regarding a country’s designation as a safe country of origin at the level of the entire EU.
Some provisions, such as exceptions for specific regions of a country or clear categories of people, may be applied before the broader EU asylum laws come into force in June 2026.
The agreement requires formal approval from both the Parliament and the Council before implementation.
