SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
The European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee endorsed a legislative proposal to establish the first EU-wide list of Safe Countries of Origin (SCOs), a major step in harmonizing the bloc’s asylum policy and accelerating claim processing. The proposal, which aims to speed up the return of migrants whose claims are considered unfounded, is now moving toward negotiations with the European Council.
Key Aspects and Mechanism:
Countries Listed: The initial list of SCOs includes India, alongside Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, Morocco, and Tunisia.
Impact of Designation: Asylum claims filed by nationals from these SCOs will be processed under accelerated border procedures. The designation creates a legal presumption that such claims are unlikely to have merit, as the asylum recognition rate for these nations is typically less than 20%.
Purpose: The move is designed to reduce the backlog of asylum applications and facilitate the deportation of individuals who do not have a right to stay in the EU.
Safeguards: Despite the accelerated process, the EU insists that every application must still receive an individual examination, and applicants retain the right to appeal in national courts.
Policy Relevance for India
The inclusion of India on the EU’s list is of high diplomatic and policy relevance. While inclusion affirms the EU’s view of India’s stable democratic system and legal framework, it creates a mandatory accelerated return framework for Indian nationals seeking asylum. The Ministry of External Affairs must ensure that this framework respects the principle of individual examination and does not unfairly prejudice the rights of legitimate asylum seekers or lead to arbitrary detentions and deportations. India’s policy focus must be on negotiating clear and transparent compliance mechanisms.
What is a Safe Country of Origin (SCO)? An SCO is a country that, based on its stable legal, political, and democratic system, is consistently deemed to provide adequate protection to its citizens, meaning that asylum claims from nationals of that country are unlikely to be successful. The designation allows EU Member States to process such applications through an accelerated procedure, presuming the claim lacks merit, though individual human rights protections must still be upheld.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How will the Ministry of External Affairs and relevant agencies proactively prepare and advise Indian travelers to ensure seamless processing under the EU’s new mandatory digital and biometric Entry/Exit System?
Follow the full news here: Asylum policy: MEPs back first EU list of safe countries of origin