In the context of asylum, the term ‘safe country’ refers to countries which generally do not generate protection needs for their people or countries in which asylum seekers are protected and are not in danger.
EU law provides four safe country concepts which can be applied in the asylum procedure. They are regulated in the recast Asylum Procedures Directive:
- safe country of origin
- safe third country
- first country of asylum
- European safe third country.
For countries not bound by the recast APD – namely Denmark,1 Iceland, Ireland,2 Norway and Switzerland3 – a similar national legal framework applies. References to these countries should be read in relation to the applicable national legal framework.
- 1
Pursuant to Protocol No 22 on the position of Denmark, annexed to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), Denmark is not bound by the recast APD nor by the 2005 Directive.
- 2
Pursuant to Protocol No 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, annexed to the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the TFEU, and without prejudice to Article 4 of that Protocol, Ireland is not taking part in the adoption of the recast APD and is not bound by it or subject to its application. Ireland had previously transposed Council Directive 2005/85/EC of 1 December 2005 on minimum standards on procedures in Member States for granting and withdrawing refugee status.
- 3
Pursuant to EUAA Regulation 2021/2303, the Agency should be open to participation by countries which have concluded agreements with the Union by virtue of which they have adopted and apply EU law in the field covered by this Regulation, in particular Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Consequently, and having regard to the fact that Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland participate in the activities of EASO on the basis of arrangements concluded by those countries with the EU concerning their participation in EASO, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland should be able to participate in the activities of the Agency and contribute to the practical cooperation between Member States and the Agency in accordance with the terms and conditions established by existing or new arrangements. In this context, analysis by the EUAA includes Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.
The data visualisations present the countries which implement the concepts of a safe country of origin, a safe third country and a European safe third country in order to process an asylum application accordingly.
Overview of countries applying the concept of safe countries
Hover over a country and “click more" to view relevant information about the implementation of safe country concept in each country.
Overview of countries applying the concept of safe third countries
Use the tabs at the top of the visualisation to navigate to the next and previous data. Hover over a country and “click more" to view countries which have adopted a list of designated safe countries.
Overview of the Implementation of Safe Country Concepts
Overview of the Implementation of Safe Country Concepts. Situational Update No 24 (January 2026)
Overview of the Implementation of Safe Country Concepts (July 2025)