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.