EU preparing list of safe countries to return asylum seekers
Regional-European Union, Local, 5/25/2006

The EU Commissioner for Justice and Security Franco Frattini is preparing a list of safe countries to fight illegal immigration.

Frattini told reporters in Brussels that the 25 EU commissioners discussed the proposal to create a European list of safe countries during their weekly meeting Wednesday.

"We have come to the conclusion that we need an European list of safe countries. In two weeks time I will come back with a substantial proposal." He said that the list will not be limited to African countries but will be expanded to include countries of other continents.

According to media reports, the list initially included 8 African countries.

Analysts say that once the list is approved, EU countries would be prone to turn down asylum applications from countries included in the safe-list.

Frattini explained that countries on the safe-list must have a positive evaluation of absence of torture, persecution and of inhumane treatment of people.

"The inclusion of a country in the list does not mean at all that the responsible committees or national judges will not be obliged to carry out a case-by-case evaluation." He cited as an example that an application from an asylum seeker from a country which discriminates against homosexuals will be accepted although that country is included in the safe list.

Frattini noted that 'it is also necessary to avoid so-called asylum shopping', where an asylum seeker files an application in another EU country after being rejected in one EU state.

However, human rights groups are accusing EU governments of overreacting in dealing with asylum cases.

"Although Europe received fewer asylum requests than in previous years, governments reacted as if the opposite was true, introducing restrictive laws which fail to guarantee basic protection and sometimes using force to keep people out," Amnesty International said in its annual human rights report for 2005.

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