EU plan would cut decision time in half for low-recognition asylum seekers amid growing public backlash.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The European Commission proposed Wednesday that asylum applications from migrants originating in Bangladesh, Colombia, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, India, and Kosovo be fast-tracked, designating these nations as “safe third countries” in a move aimed at accelerating deportations and relieving pressure on EU member states. The European Commission said claims from these countries rarely result in protection, with recognition rates at 5 percent or lower.
Under the proposal, the timeline for handling these asylum claims would be reduced from six months to just three. More than 200,000 migrants from the listed countries applied for asylum across the 27-nation bloc in 2023.
“Many Member States are facing a significant backlog of asylum applications, so anything we can do now to support faster asylum decisions is essential,” said EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner. “The Pact provisions on recognition rates and applying the safe country of origin concept can help Member States deal with claims more quickly, whilst always ensuring that every asylum claim still receives an individual assessment and is subject to the scrutiny of national courts.”
While the EU’s sweeping migration reforms agreed last year are not expected to be fully implemented before June 2026, Wednesday’s proposal is intended to expedite relief to overwhelmed processing centers and respond to voter frustration. EU Vice President Henna Virkkunen noted, “Making asylum procedures faster and more efficient is a core objective of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, agreed last year.”
The plan still requires approval from the European Parliament and EU member states. It would also extend to nationals of countries currently seeking EU membership, including Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia, and others, whose citizens would face similarly expedited processing. Applicants from countries with an asylum acceptance rate of 20 percent or less could also be subjected to faster procedures.
Despite a 38 percent decline in illegal entries into the EU last year, migration remains a politically volatile issue across the continent. Public concern over asylum and border enforcement has fueled electoral gains for anti-immigration parties in several EU countries.
Germany recently resumed deportations to Syria and Afghanistan after a string of violent attacks involving illegal migrants, while Poland adopted tighter asylum restrictions along its eastern border. Italy’s plan to detain some migrants in Albania has faced delays due to ongoing legal challenges.
However, human rights advocates raised concerns about the fast-tracking proposal. “The concept of safe countries in asylum procedures may lead to discrimination among refugees based on their country of nationality and detract from an individualized assessment,” said Hussein Baoumi of Amnesty International in Brussels. “The EU must ensure that groups at specific risk in each country, for example, political opponents, LGBTI individuals, journalists, and human rights defenders, are clarified, while also enhancing engagement with listed countries to address human rights concerns.”
The Commission maintains that all asylum claims would still receive individual assessment and be subject to judicial review. Nevertheless, rights groups warn that compressed timelines may compromise fair evaluation and the right to appeal.
As the Commission prepares to enforce parts of the migration pact ahead of schedule, public dissatisfaction and legislative hurdles remain critical challenges. “We want to advance the implementation of key provisions,” Virkkunen said, emphasizing the need to equip member states “with additional tools to streamline asylum processing.”