EU Proposes Fast-Track Migration Rules Amid Concerns Over Human Rights

World 10:46 17.04.2025

The European Union has identified seven countries it considers safe countries of origin, as part of proposals to speed up asylum applications, especially from those countries involved.Citizens from Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco and Tunisia would all have their claims fast-tracked within three months on the assumption that they were likely to fail.Markus Lammert of the European Commission said it would be a "dynamic list" that could be expanded or reviewed, with countries suspended or removed if they were no longer seen as safe.Ever since EU countries saw an influx of irregular migrants in 2015-16, they have sought to reform asylum rules. A pact on migration and asylum.

A pact on migration and asylum was agreed last year, but the EU says as it does not come into force until June 2026 it wants to push through two key rules on speeding up processing.EU leaders called on the Commission last year to come up with plans to accelerate migrant returns, as EU figures suggested under 20% of people ordered to leave were sent back to their countries of origin.Under the plans, EU countries would be able to fast track people coming either from safe countries or countries from which a maximum of one in five applicants are given protection.

European countries that are candidates to join the EU will automatically be considered safe, although exceptions are possible, for example for countries at war such as Ukraine.Among the countries pushing for reform was Italy, which has seen a big influx since 2015. Other countries including Germany have imposed border controls in a bid to limit irregular migration.Although Italy is among several member states that already have designated safe countries, it is thought an agreed EU list would deter asylum seekers from targeting those with looser regulations.Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt have all seen large numbers of irregular migrants leave their shores to cross the Mediterranean in recent years.

The list has been welcomed by Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi hailed it as a success for Rome that Bangladesh, Egypt and Tunisia were on the list, in the face of "purely ideological political opposition".Italian judges blocked Meloni's bid to send Egyptian and Bangladeshi migrants to detention centres in Albania, because while the government in Rome deemed their countries as safe, the European Court of Justice said they could not be seen as safe if all their regions and minorities were not.

The new proposals will now need to be approved by both the European Parliament and EU member states, and some human rights groups have expressed concern about the plans.EuroMed Rights - a network of human rights organisations warned that it was misleading and dangerous to label the seven countries as safe, because they included "countries with documented rights abuses and limited protections for both their own citizens and migrants".

"We do not cut back on fundamental and human rights," said Commission spokesman Markus Lammert. "Under EU law member states have to carry out individual assessments of each asylum application in each individual case."

Madina Mammadova\\EDnews

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

President Approves Medal for Emergency Ministry’s 20th Year
11:27 15.05.2025
Media Development Agency calls on young journalists to fight for conveying truth
11:23 15.05.2025
Hungarian envoy: ''Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan has great potential for renewable energy project''
11:17 15.05.2025
Istanbul hosts Azerbaijani Cinema Days
11:12 15.05.2025
Pakistan holds flash mob to thank Azerbaijan for support
11:07 15.05.2025
President of Iran: ''We want brotherhood and equality with Azerbaijan''
10:51 15.05.2025
Digital media in Azerbaijan reaches its highest
10:48 15.05.2025
Azerbaijan and Moldova mull expanding energy cooperation
12:19 14.05.2025
The next event within the framework of the "Azerbaijani Cinema Days" was held at Istanbul University
12:15 14.05.2025
Azerbaijan and Moldova discussed expanding energy cooperation
12:08 14.05.2025
Azerbaijan to host Islamic Cooperation Summit next year
12:03 14.05.2025
Baku hosts meeting between Azerbaijani and Turkish Defense Ministers
11:59 14.05.2025
Azerbaijan expands postal cooperation with Georgia
11:55 14.05.2025
South Korea to study South Korea's experience in digital tax technologies
11:52 14.05.2025
Türkiye, Azerbaijan mull environmental co-op
11:49 14.05.2025
Azerbaijan to host ECO Summit
11:46 14.05.2025
First day of Europe and Postal Leaders Forum wraps up in Europe
11:42 14.05.2025
UAE leader makes phone call to Ilham Aliyev
11:38 14.05.2025
Azerbaijan, EBRD hold discussions on green energy
11:33 14.05.2025
Tanja Fajon: ''Azerbaijan hosted COP29 at high level''
11:28 14.05.2025
Mukhtar Babayev meets President of Denmark
11:25 14.05.2025
Turkish Defense University’s delegation continues its visit to Azerbaijan
11:21 14.05.2025
Azerbaijan, UK to sign memorandum on co-op in auditing
11:17 14.05.2025
Azerbaijan's role in Europe's green energy transformation growing
11:14 14.05.2025
Belgian trade mission to travel to Baku in September
11:07 14.05.2025
Apple is testing technology that would control its devices
11:03 14.05.2025
"Bilim Guba" Center has started operating
10:59 14.05.2025
Elmir Valizada: ''Azerbaijan’s media is in spotlight of malicious groups''
10:57 14.05.2025
Ilham Aliyev sends congratulatory letter to President of Paraguay
10:54 14.05.2025
''Cybersecurity, information security among key topics''
10:52 14.05.2025
South Korea appoints new ambassador to Azerbaijan
10:47 14.05.2025
"Cyber ​​Sovereignty" conference to be held in Azerbaijan
10:45 14.05.2025
Azerbaijan, Chad diplomats discuss cooperation prospects
10:31 14.05.2025
Microsoft to lay off 6,000 employees in July
10:27 14.05.2025
Scientists have made progress in the quality of the COVID-19 vaccine
10:23 14.05.2025
Azerbaijan's cultural heritage presented at UNESCO festive event
10:19 14.05.2025
Students of Modern Educational Complex named after Heydar Aliyev visit
10:16 14.05.2025
Azerbaijani Army positions come under fire from various directions
10:12 14.05.2025
Trial of Ruben Vardanyan continues in Baku
10:08 14.05.2025
Azerbaijan Defense Minister meets with Secretary General of Türkiye’s Security Council
10:05 14.05.2025
Hamısı