In a late-night vote on 6 December, the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties (LIBE) committee approved two contentious migration bills after the centre-right European People’s Party aligned with far-right groups. The first regulation would let member states transfer asylum seekers to so-called “safe third countries” with which they have no prior connection; the second would create an EU-wide list of “safe countries of origin,” accelerating refusals.
French position. Paris expressed “serious constitutional concerns,” noting that France’s preamble obliges authorities to examine individual asylum claims before removal. Interior-ministry officials told reporters they fear the safe-third-country concept could invite legal challenges at France’s Conseil d’État and complicate returns under the new UK-France Channel migration pact.
![European Parliament committee backs tougher asylum rules with French reservations]()
Next steps. EU interior ministers are expected to rubber-stamp the texts at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 8 December, with a full Parliament plenary vote due mid-December. If adopted unchanged, France will have two years to transpose the measures, likely triggering heated parliamentary debate and possible referrals to the Constitutional Council.
Implications for employers. The reforms signal a harder EU stance on secondary movements and could increase checks on posted workers who enter France via other member states. Mobility managers should monitor whether new carrier-sanctions or documentation requirements emerge once the rules are finalised. NGOs warn of litigation and protests that could delay implementation and cause processing bottlenecks at prefectures.
Strategic context. The vote illustrates a broader realignment in Brussels, where mainstream conservatives increasingly rely on far-right parties to push through migration files. For France – which faces regional elections and perennial pressure over Calais – the challenge will be balancing EU obligations, domestic legal safeguards and operational realities at its borders.
French position. Paris expressed “serious constitutional concerns,” noting that France’s preamble obliges authorities to examine individual asylum claims before removal. Interior-ministry officials told reporters they fear the safe-third-country concept could invite legal challenges at France’s Conseil d’État and complicate returns under the new UK-France Channel migration pact.
Next steps. EU interior ministers are expected to rubber-stamp the texts at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 8 December, with a full Parliament plenary vote due mid-December. If adopted unchanged, France will have two years to transpose the measures, likely triggering heated parliamentary debate and possible referrals to the Constitutional Council.
Implications for employers. The reforms signal a harder EU stance on secondary movements and could increase checks on posted workers who enter France via other member states. Mobility managers should monitor whether new carrier-sanctions or documentation requirements emerge once the rules are finalised. NGOs warn of litigation and protests that could delay implementation and cause processing bottlenecks at prefectures.
Strategic context. The vote illustrates a broader realignment in Brussels, where mainstream conservatives increasingly rely on far-right parties to push through migration files. For France – which faces regional elections and perennial pressure over Calais – the challenge will be balancing EU obligations, domestic legal safeguards and operational realities at its borders.
