Draft Order laid before Parliament under paragraph 21(1) of Schedule 3 to the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004, for approval by resolution of each House of Parliament.

Draft Statutory Instruments

2006 No.      

IMMIGRATION

The Asylum (First List of Safe Countries) (Amendment) Order 2006

Made

Coming into force

1st January 2007

The Secretary of State makes the following Order in exercise of the power conferred upon him by paragraph 20(1) of Schedule 3 to the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004(1);

In accordance with paragraph 21(1) of Schedule 3 to that Act a draft of this Order was laid before and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament

Citation and commencement

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Asylum (First List of Safe Countries) (Amendment) Order 2006.

(2) This Order shall come into force on 1st January 2007.

(3) The amendments to Schedule 3 to the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 made by article 2 shall take effect on or after 1st January 2007 in relation to an asylum or human rights claim made before that date provided that no decision either to refuse the claimant leave to enter or remove him from the United Kingdom following that claim has been made before that date.

First List States

2.—(1) The States below shall be added to the list of States in paragraph 2 of Schedule 3 to the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 (first list of safe countries).

(2) After paragraph (b) insert “(ba) Bulgaria,”.

(3) After paragraph (v) insert “(va) Romania,”.

Minister of State

Home Office

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

Part 2 of Schedule 3 to the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 lists those countries which are to be treated as safe for the purpose of determining whether a third country national, who has made an asylum or human rights claim in the United Kingdom, may be removed to one of them. The list includes all Member States of the European Union and States in the European Economic Area (EEA).

This Order adds Bulgaria and Romania to the list from the date of their accession to the European Union.