The EU interior ministers have agreed on measures including easier rejection of asylum applications and a common list of "safe countries of origin". Furthermore, there will be"relocations" within the EU.
The European interior ministers today fast-tracked many key elements of the EU asylum reform. Crucially, EU-wide deportation procedures will be standardized in the future. This includes detention pending deportation, re-entry bans, and, most importantly, stricter rules governing how individuals required to leave the country must cooperate with authorities across the EU.
Another agreement concerns the list of so-called safe countries of origin. This list now includes Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, India, Bangladesh, Colombia, and Kosovo. Deportations to these countries from across the EU should be faster in the future, said EU Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner:"It's a list that we've expanded once again, and we're adhering to clear guidelines about what is considered safe and what isn't." This list is the result of extensive discussions with organizations such as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the respective civil society organizations."Ultimately, this list will greatly facilitate our return processes to these countries," the Commissioner said.
Controversial third-country rule
The interior ministers not only agreed on"safe countries of origin," but also on a concept for "safe third countries." According to this concept, rejected asylum seekers should be more easily deported to these countries in the future, even if they have no connection there whatsoever – for example, through family or friends. This approach is controversial in the European Parliament, which still has to approve all the decisions.
From the perspective of Danish Migration Minister Rasmus Stoklund, however, it is a milestone."We now have the legal framework that allows member states to establish return centers in third countries," he said. This is crucial"to address the fundamental shortcomings of the current asylum system." He is referring, among other things, to the fact that so far only one in four people who are required to leave the EU actually does so.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is open to the idea of such centers in third countries, where rejected asylum seekers would initially be taken to undergo the return procedure. However, he described it as a"mammoth task" that would take time."There have been attempts at such return centers in the past, not all of which were successful," said the CSU politician."But now there is a new opportunity. And Germany, too, will try to seize it – together with other partner countries."
Three ways to provide support
Progress is also being made on the crucial issue of the major EU asylum reform. For all the planned strictness and consistency regarding migration, there will still be people with good chances of being granted asylum in the EU. And these people are to be distributed more fairly among the member states in the future.
The EU interior ministers have now agreed that they will contribute to the solidarity mechanism in three possible ways: by taking in refugees, by making a financial contribution, or by contributing to border protection in other ways – for example with equipment and personnel.
Specifically targeted for the second half of 2026 are 21,000"relocations" of refugees – or €420 million in payments. According to calculations by the EU Commission, countries such as Greece, Italy, Spain, and Cyprus are expected to benefit. Cyprus's Migration Minister, Nicholas Ioannides, explains:"For us in Cyprus, these 'relocations' are crucial, just as they are for all other particularly burdened states – they need to be implemented very quickly."
So far, many want an exception.
So far, however, there are hardly any interior ministers willing to accept more refugees in the future. Many states, including Germany, can also apply for exemption from this obligation, according to the EU Commission's guidelines. And that's a good thing, said Interior Minister Dobrindt:"It's clear that Germany already bears a heavy burden, even today – regarding secondary migration in Europe and, for example, the acceptance of refugees from Ukraine. All of this must play a role in a future solidarity mechanism."
Many other EU member states also intend to claim exceptions to the solidarity clause. This is likely to spark considerable debate in Brussels. Above all, there is the underlying hope that the better the migration pact functions from June 12, 2026 onwards, and the fewer refugees arrive in the EU and need to be distributed, the less solidarity among member states will be required.
