The European Commission is working intensively to velocity up the review of key asylum procedures, including the concept of "safe 3rd country" (SCT). According to the paper to which the Euractiv portal reached, the review is to be completed as early as March alternatively than June as originally planned. This is an crucial step in the implementation of the migration pact to enter into force in mid-2026.
What is the "safe 3rd country" concept?
The SCT concept allows asylum seekers to be sent back to the country where they can be protected alternatively of examining their applications in the country where they applied. “This concept is utilized to delegate protection obligations to a country another than that in which the applicant applied for asylum,” explains Helena Hahn, a political analyst at the European Policy Centre.
The SCT is presently defined in the Asylum Procedures Directive, which was reformed under the 2024 Regulation. The fresh government requires a revision of the concept by 12 June 2025, but the European Commission, under the influence of the president of Ursula von der Leyen, is seeking to implement the changes more quickly.
Why is the Commission pushing for acceleration?
The Commission is presently consulting associate States to guarantee that the review of the SCT is completed in March. 1 of the key areas of discussion is the "connection" criterion, which requires that asylum seekers be linked to the 3rd country to which they would be referred. The proposed amendments include the full removal of this criterion, replacing it with a transit request or importantly mitigating it.
– Weakening or removing the criterion could affect return by extending the list of countries considered safe," Hahn explains. However, experts inform that specified changes may lead to the transfer of migrants to countries that do not meet global protection standards.
Controversy around cancellations and deportations
Another crucial point of discussion is the issue of appeals against decisions on the inadmissibility of SCT-based asylum applications. Currently, if the application is deemed inadmissible, the asylum seeker has the right to stay automatically in the country until the appeal is examined. The proposed amendment would mean that this law would no longer be automatic. Instead, the court would gotta agree to stay or decide on its own.
What about asylum reform?
Accelerating the SCT review is just 1 of the elements of wider migration reforms in the EU. The European Commission is trying to strike a balance between effective management of migration and ensuring the protection of migrants' rights. However, the proposed changes are controversial, in peculiar in the context of the possible weakening of global protection standards.
Will speeding up the improvement result? This question remains open, but 1 thing is certain: the debate on the future of the asylum strategy in the EU will intensify in the coming months.
Continued here:
European Commission accelerates improvement of asylum procedures
