The European Union (EU) has officially classified Kosovo and seven other countries as “safe countries of origin” for asylum purposes, according to a statement from the European Council.
“Today, the Council adopted its position on two EU legal acts, which will strengthen the practical implementation of key concepts regarding safe countries in EU asylum rules. These new migration laws aim to establish faster and more efficient asylum procedures for those who do not require protection within the EU,” the statement said.
Kosovo’s inclusion on this list means that asylum applications from Kosovar citizens may be processed more quickly, based on the assessment that the country provides sufficient protection against persecution and serious violations of fundamental rights.
However, the designation does not automatically reject every asylum claim. Individual applications may still be examined if there are specific grounds for protection.
The new regulation also revises the concept of a “safe third country”, expanding the circumstances under which an asylum request may be deemed inadmissible. For the first time, the EU has approved a common list of safe countries of origin, enabling member states to process applications for international protection in an accelerated manner.
In addition to Kosovo, the following countries are now officially considered safe: Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco, and Tunisia. Citizens from these countries will be subject to accelerated procedures, which in most cases may result in the rejection of asylum claims or transfer of review to another safe third country.
The “safe third country” concept allows member states to reject asylum claims when applicants could have sought protection in a non-EU country deemed safe. The updated regulation broadens the conditions under which a request can be refused and allows asylum claims to be reviewed in third safe countries.
