Establishment of a list of safe countries of origin at Union level
PURPOSE: to establish an EU-wide list of safe countries of origin at EU level and to advance the application of certain provisions of Regulation (EU) 2024/1348.
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) 2026/464 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2024/1348 as regards the establishment of a list of safe countries of origin at Union level.
CONTENT: this regulation establishes a common list of safe countries of origin at EU level. This common EU list will ensure greater consistency across Member States in assessing applications from designated safe countries of origin and will help to speed up the processing of applications. This measure is important for the implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.
Third countries may only be designated as safe countries of origin where, on the basis of the legal situation, the application of the law within a democratic system and the general political circumstances, it can be shown that there is no persecution and no real risk of serious harm such as the death penalty or execution, torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or serious individual threats to the life or person of a civilian due to indiscriminate violence in the event of an internal or international armed conflict.
EU list
The regulation designates the following countries as safe countries of origin at EU level: Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco and Tunisia.
EU accession candidate countries are also included as safe countries of origin at Union level, unless:
- there is a situation of international or internal armed conflict in the candidate country;
- the EU has adopted restrictive measures against the candidate country in questions related to fundamental rights and freedoms or;
- the proportion of positive decisions by member state authorities to applications for international protection of citizens from the candidate country is higher than 20%.
Suspension and removal of the designation of a third country as a safe third country or as a safe country of origin at Union level
The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts concerning the suspension, in whole or in part, of the designation of a third country as a safe country of origin at Union level.
In the event of significant changes in the situation of a country concerned, the European Commission should assess whether it still meets the required conditions. If this is no longer the case, the Commission may (by way of delegated act) partially suspend the designation of said third country as a safe third country for six months.
The Commission should continuously review the situation in the third country concerned, taking into account, inter alia, information provided by Member States and the Asylum Agency.
National lists
Member States will still be able to have their own national lists with additional third countries, which they consider as safe.
In the event of a total or partial suspension of the designation of a third country as a safe third country or safe country of origin at Union level, Member States should not be able to designate that country as a safe third country or as a safe country of origin at national level.
When a third country has had its designation as a safe third country or safe country of origin withdrawn or modified at EU level, a Member State may notify the Commission that it considers that country once again meets the required conditions.
The Commission’s right of objection should be limited to a period of two years after the date on which that third country’s designation as a safe third country or a safe country of origin at Union level has been removed.
If the Commission considers that the conditions are again met (for all or part of the territory or for certain categories of people), it may propose, according to the ordinary legislative procedure, to reinstate the designation at Union level.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 27.2.2026.