EU includes Bangladesh in list of 7 ‘safe’ countries of origin, tightening asylum rules

The European Union on Wednesday published a list of seven countries it designates as “safe” in an effort to accelerate migrant returns by tightening rules on asylum claims from those nations.

The list — comprising Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco, and Tunisia — still requires approval from both the European Parliament and EU member states before it can take effect.

The move, which has drawn criticism from rights groups, would allow EU governments to process asylum applications from citizens of these countries more quickly by presuming such claims to be unfounded.

“Many member states are currently dealing with a significant backlog of asylum applications, so any steps we can take to speed up decisions are crucial,” said Magnus Brunner, the EU commissioner for migration.

Facing growing public discontent over migration issues, which has bolstered far-right parties in several EU nations, Brussels has been under pressure to tighten controls on irregular arrivals and improve deportation procedures.

The commission noted that while EU candidate countries would typically meet the criteria to be considered “safe,” exceptions would apply in cases of conflict — for example, Ukraine would be excluded.

A similar list was proposed by the EU back in 2015, but it was shelved due to contentious debate over whether to include Turkey, a candidate for EU membership.

This new list, the commission said, can be updated or expanded over time and was based on countries currently sending large numbers of asylum seekers to the EU.

Some member states already maintain their own lists of “safe countries” — for instance, France includes Mongolia, Serbia, and Cape Verde on its list.

The EU initiative seeks to harmonize standards across all member states, ensuring a common framework. While individual countries will be allowed to add nations to the EU list, they will not be able to remove any from it.

Asylum cases would still be reviewed individually, with existing safeguards in place to prevent automatic rejections, the commission emphasized.

However, rights advocates were quick to denounce the plan, particularly its inclusion of countries like Tunisia and Egypt, which have faced criticism over human rights abuses.

“Every individual seeking protection in the EU deserves a fair assessment of their claim, regardless of their country of origin,” said Meron Ameha Knikman from the International Rescue Committee, calling the proposal part of a “broader trend of deterrence and erosion of refugee rights.”

The commission acknowledged human rights concerns, citing political detentions and suppression of dissent in countries like Tunisia and Egypt. Nevertheless, it argued that such issues did not amount to widespread persecution or imminent risk for the general population.

Tunisia’s Forum for Economic and Social Rights labeled the proposal “a flagrant violation of the fundamental right to asylum.”

While irregular border crossings into the EU dropped by 38 percent to 239,000 last year following a near-decade high in 2023, calls for stricter measures continue to grow. Led by governments in Italy, Denmark, and the Netherlands, EU leaders last October demanded tougher laws to expedite deportations and explore new methods to curb irregular migration.

Currently, less than 20 percent of those ordered to leave the EU actually return to their country of origin, according to EU data.

Last month, the commission unveiled proposals to reform the bloc’s return policy framework, paving the way for member states to set up migrant return centers outside EU borders.

Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi welcomed the latest EU move, describing it as “a success for the Italian government.”