EU lawmakers agree on migration policies easing deportations, drawing criticism

Brussels: European lawmakers voted Tuesday to approve new immigration policies that allows nations to deny asylum and deport migrants because they either hail from a country designated safe or could apply for asylum in a country outside the 27-nation bloc.

The vote at European Parliament in Strasbourg, France ratified a decision in December in Brussels when ministers across the EU agreed to a list of safe countries.

The new rules would come into effect in June and allow for sending back not only asylum-seekers from those countries, but also third-country nationals who only transited through those countries before reaching Europe.

Centre-right lawmakers allied with the far right on the two votes, with 408-to-184 in favour on the

measure regarding safe countries of origin, and 396-to-226 on the measure regarding safe third countries.

“We are delivering another key building block for a functioning, credible asylum system,” said Lena Düpont, a German lawmaker from the European People’s Party. “By enabling manifestly unfounded asylum applications to be rejected more quickly and efficiently in the future, we are speeding up asylum procedures,

relieving the burden on member state systems, and helping people avoid being stuck in legal limbo for years.”

According to the new rules, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, Morocco and Tunisia would be considered “safe

countries of origins.” agencies