Germany is pursuing an initiative referred to as 'safe countries of origin', with the aim of restricting asylum seekers' entry from these designated nations deemed safe.

In a move aimed at addressing the ongoing debates and reforms regarding asylum laws, the new German coalition government has announced plans to add more countries to the list of safe countries for asylum seekers.

The decision is based on certain requirements, such as fewer than 5% of asylum-seekers from that country being accepted over a five-year period. Among the countries being considered are Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and India.

This proposed expansion has sparked controversy, with Green Party lawmaker Filiz Polat expressing hope that the European Court of Justice's (ECJ) ruling will force the federal government to reconsider its asylum policy. Polat argues that the plan to classify safe countries of origin by means of a legal directive without oversight by the Bundestag and Bundesrat is not feasible.

The ECJ has ruled that EU countries can designate safe countries of origin for fast-track asylum procedures, provided they disclose the sources for their assessments. For a country to be deemed safe, it must offer adequate protection to its entire population, including minorities. However, same-sex sexual relations are punishable by law in both Tunisia and Algeria, which conflicts with this key criterion.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, in favour of the idea, believes that the planned reform will send a clear message that people from safe countries of origin should not make the journey, and those who cannot stay should not come in the first place. Dobrindt has also criticized the current number of deportations of rejected asylum-seekers and plans to remove obstacles to effectively limiting illegal migration.

Clara Bünger of the Left Party has called for a comprehensive review of the list of safe countries of origin, suggesting that Georgia and Moldova should be removed from the list immediately. Bünger raises concerns about the human rights situation in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The European Union is also discussing the establishment of joint centers for the repatriation of rejected asylum-seekers. The interior ministers of EU member states recently discussed this issue at their meeting in Copenhagen.

The coalition government has submitted a draft bill on asylum law reform, which is scheduled for a vote after the parliament's summer recess. Dobrindt hopes that the planned reform will speed up deportations to safe countries, addressing one of the obstacles he aims to address.

Asylum-seekers in Germany continue to face growing uncertainty due to these ongoing debates and reforms. It remains to be seen how the proposed changes will impact the lives of those seeking refuge in Germany.