On Tuesday, the European Commission (EC) presented a plan to reduce the number of immigrants in the European Union (EU). The proposal would extend current measures and facilitate the sending of unsuccessful asylum seekers to the so -called. safe third countries. According to the AFP report, TASR reports this.
“EU countries have been under considerable migratory pressure over the last decade,” said EU Commissioner for internal affairs and migration Magnus Brunner. He described the proposal as “another tool to help Member States more effectively process asylum applications”.
Expanding the definition of safe countries
According to the current rules, the asylum application may be rejected if applicants could file it in the “safe” third country where they have “real ties”. This term is usually understood by the country in which the applicant lived, worked or in which he has a family.
The new EC proposal for safe third countries also includes any state through which the asylum seeker has passed on his way to Europe and which the EU considers safe.
Criticism from the rights of rights protectors
In the planned reform, the concept of safe third countries can be applied even if the condition of the demonstrable connection of the applicant with another country or its passage through another suitable state is not met. This would be possible if there is an agreement between Member States and the third “safe country”.
By accepting the proposal, the number of people who could be refused and which could be expelled from the EU would be significantly increased. The proposal must be approved by the European Parliament and the Member States, but according to AFP, it has already caused sharp criticism, especially from the groups to protect human rights.
Sarah Chander, director of Equinox – Racial Justice Initiative, said the EU “cynically twist the term” security “to meet its own repressive goals”. According to her, the proposal would “prepare the way to migrants who can be expelled and deported essentially anywhere, which (them) exposes them to danger”.
