DR ‹ › On Tuesday, the European Parliament approved two legislative texts aimed at tightening immigration and asylum policies across the European Union. This decision marks a significant shift towards more stringent controls on the reception of migrants and refugees. The European Parliament has approved amendments to the EU asylum procedures regulation, introducing a unified European list of «safe countries». The measure aims to speed up the processing of asylum applications and facilitate the return of rejected applicants to their countries of origin. The proposed list includes Morocco, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, and Tunisia. Under the new rules, EU member states may reject an asylum application if they determine that the applicant could obtain protection in a country classified as «safe». The reform effectively shifts the burden of proof onto the asylum seeker, who must now demonstrate that they would face persecution or serious harm if returned. The legislation also formalizes the concept of a «safe third country», allowing member states to declare certain applications inadmissible if the applicant has links to a country considered safe, or if they transited through such a country and could reasonably have sought protection there. In addition, the new framework paves the way for the establishment of «return centers» outside EU territory, similar to facilities Italy has begun setting up in Albania, as part of the European Union's broader strategy to ease pressure on its asylum systems.
