EU: The European Commission has delayed publication of a common list of countries deemed to be "safe" and from which asylum applications would therefore be presumed to be unfounded.
At a meeting yesterday, the commission could not agree on which countries should be placed on the so-called asylum "safe list" or the exact criteria used to include certain states on the list.
A spokeswoman said the commissioners had decided to take a bit more time to complete the list and would come back and make a decision in a couple of weeks.
The EU has been trying to draw up this type of safe list for several years as part of its efforts to forge a common immigration and asylum policy.
The list is intended to cut down on "asylum shopping" - where asylum seekers apply in states they consider more amenable than others.
However, deciding which states are put on the list is politically sensitive, as certain EU states can enjoy close relations with the countries concerned.
Also, a safe list may not distinguish between different ethnic or sexual groups facing discrimination. For example, one divisive issue debated by the 25 commissioners yesterday was whether states where female genital mutilation is practised should be placed on the "safe" country list.
The commission did not release the names of states placed on a draft list prepared by justice commissioner Franco Frattini.
A 2004 attempt to agree a list failed when differences emerged on what constitutes a safe country.
The UN Refugee Agency also opposes the concept of safe lists because no country can be considered safe for all asylum seekers.
The commission's failure to agree occurs at a sensitive time for the EU, as it tries to establish a common immigration policy. Over the past few weeks, thousands of illegal migrants have arrived in the Canary Islands, prompting the Spanish authorities to request help from the EU.
Late on Tuesday, the commission announced the EU's external border security agency, Frontex, would send experts to help Spain cope with the migrant influx from Africa. Several EU member states have also promised to send help to the Spanish government.