The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group today secured the adoption of key reforms in the European Parliament to make EU asylum procedures faster, clearer and operational in practice.

Once the new rules enter into force, there is for the first time a credible prospect that Europe’s migration challenges can be brought under effective control. By restoring functioning procedures and legal certainty, the reform is expected to significantly reduce abuses and the number of irregular migrants remaining in Europe, marking a turning point that could prove decisive in addressing illegal migration in the years ahead. The file in Parliament was led by ECR rapporteur Alessandro Ciriani.

Following the vote Mr Ciriani said:

“With the final approval in plenary of the trilogue agreement on the EU list of safe countries of origin, the European Parliament makes a clear political choice: to return the governance of migration to politics, putting an end to interpretative uncertainty that for years has hindered the effectiveness of Member States’ decisions.

“This vote marks a paradigm shift. The European Union finally equips itself with a common, binding and legally solid list, making it possible to clearly distinguish between those entitled to international protection and those who use the asylum system instrumentally. It is an essential step to accelerate procedures, reduce litigation and make returns credible.

“For too long, political decisions in migration policy have been systematically called into question by divergent judicial interpretations, paralysing state action and fueling administrative chaos. This regulation finally clarifies that judges assess the individual case, not the safety of countries included on the European list.

“The approved list — including, in addition to candidate countries, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco, Tunisia and Kosovo — represents a concrete and immediately operational instrument. It is a responsible choice that shows Europe can act with pragmatism when it abandons ideology.

“Thanks to the work of the ECR, a line of common sense prevails that strengthens border control and legal certainty.

“Now, with publication in the Official Journal, the regulation can fully enter into force. This is the beginning of a new phase: migration is no longer endured but governed, and politics once again assumes its full responsibility.”

For the ECR Group, today’s vote represents a decisive breakthrough towards a migration system that is firm, fair and capable of acting. By enabling earlier use of accelerated and border procedures and by establishing a clear and flexible safe country framework, the reform delivers faster decisions, fewer abuses and functioning procedures with full legal safeguards and practical tools to restore control and credibility to Europe’s migration policy.