Senior justice and home-affairs officials from all 27 EU member states met in Brussels on 3 November to examine revised compromise texts that would create, for the first time, a legally binding Union-wide list of ‘safe third countries’ and ‘safe countries of origin’. Although Ireland is not in Schengen, it participates in most asylum measures and dispatched observers from the Department of Justice to Monday’s JHA Counsellors (Asylum) session.
The Presidency proposals would streamline returns of applicants whose claims are deemed inadmissible because they travelled through, or originate from, designated safe jurisdictions. Countries under consideration include Albania, Georgia, India, Kenya and Serbia. Irish officials are concerned that once the list is adopted—likely in Q1 2026—Ireland will be required to process accelerated border procedures at ports and airports, adding workload to Immigration Service Delivery and the Garda National Immigration Bureau.
![EU JHA Counsellors debate ‘safe third country’ list—Dublin watches implications for Common Travel Area]()
Of particular interest to Dublin is the interaction with the Common Travel Area (CTA). If the UK designates additional safe countries unilaterally, differing lists could encourage secondary movement across the open land border. The Department of Justice told stakeholders that alignment “wherever feasible” is the working assumption, but that primary legislation may be needed to transpose parts of the EU regulation.
For multinational employers, the change signals tougher, faster decisions on nationality-based asylum claims and potentially higher removal rates. Companies that second staff to Ireland from countries likely to appear on the list should expect closer scrutiny of visa-overstay risks. Mobility teams may wish to audit internal compliance processes ahead of the Pact’s full entry into force in June 2026.
The Presidency proposals would streamline returns of applicants whose claims are deemed inadmissible because they travelled through, or originate from, designated safe jurisdictions. Countries under consideration include Albania, Georgia, India, Kenya and Serbia. Irish officials are concerned that once the list is adopted—likely in Q1 2026—Ireland will be required to process accelerated border procedures at ports and airports, adding workload to Immigration Service Delivery and the Garda National Immigration Bureau.
Of particular interest to Dublin is the interaction with the Common Travel Area (CTA). If the UK designates additional safe countries unilaterally, differing lists could encourage secondary movement across the open land border. The Department of Justice told stakeholders that alignment “wherever feasible” is the working assumption, but that primary legislation may be needed to transpose parts of the EU regulation.
For multinational employers, the change signals tougher, faster decisions on nationality-based asylum claims and potentially higher removal rates. Companies that second staff to Ireland from countries likely to appear on the list should expect closer scrutiny of visa-overstay risks. Mobility teams may wish to audit internal compliance processes ahead of the Pact’s full entry into force in June 2026.
