25 September 2015
On 24 September 2015, ECRE published the third AIDA Legal Briefing, entitled “Safe countries of origin: a safe concept?“. The concept of safe countries of origin has been very controversial ever since it became part of the EU asylum acquis. It allows Member States to treat applicants differently and afford a less favourable treatment to asylum seekers coming from countries considered ‘safe’.
This concept may call into question the 1951 Refugee Convention’s purpose of protecting those who may face individual risks in their home countries for reasons related to their particular personal characteristics. So far, it has sparked considerable political and legal discussion. Moreover, “the recently tabled Commission proposal for a common EU list runs the risk of triggering a ‘race to the bottom’ in restrictive rules in the asylum procedure”.
For further information:
- Asylum Information Database (AIDA), AIDA Legal Briefing on Safe Country of Origin, 24 September 2015
This article appeared in the ECRE Weekly Bulletin of 25 September 2015. You can subscribe to the Weekly Bulletin here.