According to the Asylum Procedures Directive, a safe third country is a country where the asylum seeker is treated in accordance with the principles of the Geneva Refugee Convention and in particular with the principle of non-refoulement, that obliges all States not to return people to a country where they could be at risk of inhuman and degrading treatment.

In its field mission to Serbia in June 2011 the HHC noted the limited access to protection in Serbia where, in 2010, 552 persons expressed their intention to seek asylum but only 215 managed to submit a written application. The report mentions the case of the Belgrade Airport where 1500 persons were denied entry in 2009-2010, with no asylum application registered.

The study reveals the risk of chain refoulement due to the fact that Serbia automatically considers Greece and Turkey as a safe third country, while Belarus and Russia figure on its list of safe countries of origin.

Moreover the HHC highlights the serious risk of destitution for unaccompanied minors who are not benefiting from adequate procedures to access reception facilities.

From: www.ecre.org