New rule might be used to ship asylum seekers to international locations they haven’t any ties to in the event that they’re ‘deemed’ secure.
Revealed On 10 Feb 2026
European Parliament handed new laws letting member states deport migrants to designated “secure” international locations outdoors the EU even when they aren’t from these nations.
European lawmakers authorized the measure on Tuesday with a vote of 396‑226 as centre and far-right members backed it.
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Beneath the brand new guidelines, EU states will be capable of ship asylum seekers to 3rd international locations they merely transited by, supplied these international locations are deemed to respect “worldwide requirements” for migrant remedy.
They may additionally deport asylum seekers to “secure” third international locations with which they haven’t any prior ties, if an settlement is reached with the host state, the UK’s Guardian newspaper reported. The foundations are anticipated to take impact in June.
The transfer underlines the rise in anti-immigration sentiment throughout the European Union over the previous decade that has broadened in style assist for far-right events.
The laws’s textual content – which requires ultimate formal approval from the 27 EU member governments – marks a pointy hardening of EU migration coverage that has taken form since an inflow of multiple million refugees and migrants in 2015-16.
Rights teams warned the coverage might be used to deport migrants to international locations the place they haven’t any ties and might be mistreated.
“The brand new ‘secure third nation’ guidelines are more likely to drive folks to international locations they might by no means have set foot in – locations the place they haven’t any group, don’t converse the language, and face a really actual threat of abuse and exploitation,” stated Meron Ameha Knikman, senior adviser for the Worldwide Rescue Committee.
Throughout Tuesday’s session, the European Parliament additionally signed off on a listing of “secure international locations” together with Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco and Tunisia.
Migrants in a few of these international locations, together with Morocco and Tunisia, have reportedly confronted widespread abuse and mistreatment, together with being expelled into distant desert zones in Tunisia.
Cecilia Strada, an Italian lawmaker within the Socialists and Democrats Group in European Parliament that voted in opposition to the designations, stated the “so-called ‘secure international locations of origin’ will not be secure”.
“This parliament has handed resolutions on many of those international locations, condemning deteriorations of their rule of legislation, democracy, and elementary rights. At present’s vote ignores the truth of the info,” stated Strada.
Final Might, the EU endorsed sweeping reforms to the bloc’s asylum system, with the European Fee issuing the brand new Pact on Migration and Asylum. The pact, amongst different issues, referred to as for rising deportations and organising “return hubs” – a euphemism for deportation centres for rejected asylum seekers.
“The textual content on secure international locations of origin will place a whole bunch of 1000’s of individuals in conditions of nice hazard. Third international locations will probably be deemed secure regardless of a particularly worrying human rights state of affairs,” stated French Inexperienced lawmaker Melissa Camara.
