The European Parliament's recent approval of the European list of safe countries of origin and clarification of the 'safe third country' concept signifies a pivotal shift in EU migration policy. The reform aims to address the slow and inconsistent asylum system that has left many legitimate claimants in limbo while allowing unfounded claims to drain resources. By establishing clear and uniform rules, the reform seeks to restore legitimacy to the asylum process, ensuring that it remains a pillar of European values while effectively distinguishing between those in genuine need of protection and those seeking economic opportunities. This legislative change is seen as a necessary step to enhance the credibility of the EU and its commitment to humanitarian principles.
Asylum: Who Benefits from a Slow and Ambiguous System?
Context & Explainers
The European list of safe countries of origin is a roster of states the EU considers generally safe for people seeking asylum, meaning claims from those countries can be processed through accelerated procedures. The list is used to speed up decisions and reject applications judged manifestly unfounded; the European Parliament recently approved a revision and clarification that also relates to how 'safe third country' rules are applied, which can affect asylum flows and returns.
A safe third country is a country outside the state where an asylum claim is lodged that is deemed to offer protection and respect the principle of non‑refoulement, so an applicant can be returned there instead of being allowed to claim asylum. EU rules use this concept to decide admissibility of claims; recent EU clarifications make it clearer when member states can rely on a third country to receive returned applicants.
The European Parliament is the EU's directly elected legislature that helps approve laws, the EU budget and supervises the European Commission; it currently has 705 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). Political parties sit in transnational groups such as the centre-left S&D and the centre-right EPP (the EPP is the largest group), so its decisions affect EU rules on immigration, consumer rights and funding that matter to residents and businesses in Portugal.
