The European Commission has announced a list of seven countries deemed safe for the deportation of rejected asylum seekers from the European Union. The list includes Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Colombia, Bangladesh, Kosovo, and India. This means that EU countries will consider asylum applications from nationals of these countries inadmissible and will expedite their deportation. Notably, the list does not include any West African countries, which are the origin of many migrants in Europe and often refuse to accept forcibly returned deportees.
This response was prompted by the European Union’s aim to address irregular migration and expedite the processes for returning asylum seekers. Some European countries, particularly Italy, attempted to create their own lists of safe countries. However, Italy encountered legal challenges in deporting asylum seekers to return centers it had set up in Albania, as Italian courts denied the return of asylum seekers to countries deemed unsafe, such as Egypt and Bangladesh.
Italy and Greece, the two countries receiving the highest numbers of irregular migrants, have pushed to establish a unified deportation system within the European Union, after courts in both countries — as well as the European Court of Justice — rejected the deportation of asylum seekers based on the “safe country” lists prepared by Italy and Greece.
According to the list announced by the European Commission, EU countries will be able to expedite the processing of asylum applications and return rejected applicants to their countries of origin. European Commission official Henna Virkkunen confirmed this, stating: “Speeding up asylum procedures and increasing their efficiency is a key objective of the Pact on Migration and Asylum agreed upon last year. We aim to strengthen the implementation of key provisions and equip member states with additional tools to streamline asylum procedures.”
The move reflects the EU’s efforts to collaborate with countries of origin to reduce irregular migration. The EU has strengthened cooperation with Bangladesh and Colombia to address migration, provided financial support to Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco to prevent migrants from reaching EU countries, and anticipates full cooperation with Kosovo, which is seeking EU membership.
According to the European Commission, the classification of safe countries was based on analyses conducted by EU bodies — including the EU Asylum Agency — as well as assessments from member states and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The list will be subject to regular review, with countries added or removed as necessary.
However, the list announced by the European Commission remains legally controversial, particularly regarding the inclusion of Egypt and Bangladesh — both known for political repression, social discrimination, and persecution of the LGBT community — as well as Tunisia, which has seen violent crackdowns on dissidents and migrants from Africa. The controversy stems from the lack of transparency regarding the criteria used by the Commission for classification. Moreover, European charters and international agreements prohibit forced deportation or return if migrants face risks in their countries of origin.
