**EU Designates Seven 'Safe' Countries to Expedite Migrant Returns**

**The EU has classified seven nations as safe for migrant origin, aiming to streamline the asylum process for those whose claims are expected to be rejected.**

The European Union (EU) has officially declared seven nations as "safe countries of origin," facilitating a swift processing plan for asylum applications, particularly for migrants from these regions. Identified nations include Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco, and Tunisia. Citizens from these countries will have their asylum requests expedited, assuming they are likely to face rejection, with a processing timeframe reduced to three months.

Markus Lammert from the European Commission indicated that this list could be dynamic; countries could be added or removed based on their safety status. This initiative comes in response to the significant rise in irregular migrants arriving in the EU during the 2015-16 crisis, prompting a pressing need to reform existing asylum laws.

With an agreement on migration and asylum set in place last year that won't take effect until June 2026, EU leaders have urged the Commission to implement strategies to improve and accelerate the returns process. Current figures reveal that fewer than 20% of individuals ordered to return to their home countries have successfully been repatriated.

The expedited process will apply to individuals from countries deemed safe or from countries where not more than one in five applicants are granted asylum. Additionally, candidates for EU membership are automatically classified as safe, though countries experiencing conflict, like Ukraine, may receive exemptions.

Italy, having observed a surge in migration since 2015, has been a frontrunner in advocating for reform in this area. Other nations, including Germany, have taken measures such as reinstating border controls to manage irregular migration more effectively.

Italy's right-wing administration under Giorgia Meloni has welcomed this classification, with the Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi celebrating the inclusion of Bangladesh, Egypt, and Tunisia as significant progress against what he considers "ideological political opposition." Despite these developments, recent rulings have limited Italy's attempts to detain and send migrants from Egypt and Bangladesh to facilities in Albania, as the European Court of Justice has determined that these nations cannot be deemed as safe.

The proposed plan necessitates approval from both the European Parliament and EU member states. Meanwhile, various human rights organizations have voiced apprehension regarding this decision. EuroMed Rights, a coalition of advocacy groups, emphasized the risks of labeling these countries as safe despite widespread reports of human rights violations and inadequate protection for both citizens and migrants.

In response, Markus Lammert reiterated the EU's commitment to fundamental rights, assuring that individual asylum applications would be thoroughly assessed in accordance with EU law.