This regulation introduces an EU-wide list of safe countries of origin to streamline and harmonize asylum procedures across member states. Candidate countries for EU accession and other third states are designated as safe unless specific risks, such as armed conflicts or systemic human rights violations, are identified. While member states retain the right to establish national lists, the EU list aims to ensure consistent application. The designation relies on objective criteria, including recognition rates and human rights standards, and remains subject to regular review. Individual assessments of asylum applications continue to be guaranteed despite accelerated processing.