The European Commission plans to classify Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco, and Tunisia as "safe third countries of origin," according to a document

obtained by Euractiv. This move would allow EU member states to return certain asylum seekers to these nations.

The proposal, set to amend the Asylum Procedures Regulation under the EU migration pact adopted in 2023, is expected to take effect in 2026.

This initiative is part of a broader push to reform the EU’s legal framework on safe third countries — a mechanism enabling asylum seekers to be transferred to countries considered capable of offering adequate protection, rather than staying in the country where they applied.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed binding rules for migrant returns in March. These rules are currently being debated by the European Council and Parliament, with a final list of safe countries expected by June. Photo by Jérôme, Wikimedia commons.