Under the newly proposed plans, migrants from these nations would have their claims processed more swiftly, with expectations of resolution within three months, as it is assumed many would not qualify for protection. Additionally, nations vying for EU membership, like Ukraine, would also be recognized as safe, but with caveats for ongoing conflicts. Italy, which has pushed for such reform due to significant migrant inflow, welcomed the development, whereas human rights groups expressed concerns over labeling these countries safe. They argue that many have documented abuses and inadequate protections, underscoring the need for precise individual assessments of asylum applications per EU law.
**EU Identifies Seven Safe Countries to Expedite Migrant Returns**
**EU Identifies Seven Safe Countries to Expedite Migrant Returns**
The EU aims to streamline asylum processes by designating seven nations as "safe" for migrants.
The European Union has issued a list of seven countries it now classifies as safe for migrants seeking asylum, enabling quicker application processing. The countries identified are Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco, and Tunisia. As indicated by EU official Markus Lammert, this list will be dynamic and can be altered if a nation’s safety status changes. This measure is part of broader efforts to reform asylum rules following a surge of migrants in 2015-16, with hopes to improve the return rate of irregular migrants that currently hovers below 20%.
