Safe Third Country Agreements, a pillar of International Refugee Law, are facing significant changes. In May 2025, the European Commission proposed to eliminate the connection requirement for asylum-seeking purposes, which ensured that asylum seekers had strong ties with a country before being returned there to continue their asylum application. Volume XLIX staff editor Laura Muñiz Lupiáñez argues that this legislative shift could greatly impact migration patterns, and how States balance efficiency and their human rights obligations. This post examines the potential global consequences of this change in European legislation.
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