LA NOZIONE DI PAESE TERZO SICURO NEI RECENTI SVILUPPI NORMATIVI NEL DIRITTO DELL’UNIONE EUROPEA: VERSO IL MODELLO DI ACCORDO REGNO UNITO-RUANDA

This article examines recent developments in European Union law concerning the
concept of «safe third country», which allows Member States to declare asylum applications
inadmissible without considering the merits. It analyses the changes introduced by the EU
Pact on Migration and Asylum, focusing on Regulation (EU) 2024/1348 (the new Regulation
on Asylum Procedures) and the additional legislative measures adopted in 2026. These
developments expand the scope of the concept by permitting the designation of a safe third
country with which the applicant has no prior connection, solely on the basis of international
agreements or arrangements, following the model of the 2022 Memorandum between the
United Kingdom and Rwanda. The article highlights the significant shortcomings of this approach, critically assessing its implications for the protection of human rights and the procedural safeguards of asylum seekers.