📋 Tender Overview
The Commission for Political Institutions of the National Council (CIP-N) has looked into the outsourcing of asylum procedures and the execution of returns to third countries. It supports Italy taking back individuals under its responsibility according to the Dublin Regulation (motion Muller Damian 26.3185) and creating conditions for Switzerland to participate in foreign return center projects (motion Gossi 26.3244). The Parliament has been questioning for some time to what extent it would be possible to outsource asylum procedures and the execution of returns. At its meeting on Friday, the CIP-N examined three items in this regard. On one hand, it acknowledged the report prepared in execution of the postulate Caroni 23.4490 (State of play on asylum procedures and the execution of returns abroad), in which the Federal Council considers this solution to be feasible in principle, but that it must complement the procedures provided in Switzerland (and not replace them) and that it poses high legal, economic, and practical requirements. On the other hand, the CIP-N examined two motions. The motion Muller Damian 26.3185 (Return Dublin cases from Italy to Albania) aims for individuals to be returned from Switzerland to Italy under the Dublin Regulation to be taken back by Italy and transferred to the centers that Italy manages in Albania. Unanimously, the commission proposes adopting section 1 of the motion. However, by a vote of 13 to 12, it proposes rejecting sections 2 and 3. The commission agrees that efforts should continue to encourage Italy to take back individuals under its responsibility according to the Dublin Regulation. By adopting section 1 of the motion, it intends to encourage the Federal Council, which has already begun negotiations on this matter, to continue its work. The majority of the commission rejects sections 2 and 3, considering that the outsourcing model from Italy to Albania does not really work and is very costly; moreover, Albania has so far explicitly opposed extending the model to other states. If the situation were to change, participation could still be considered. The minority believes that Switzerland should explore all new avenues that seem feasible to reduce the number of asylum seekers. By a vote of 15 to 10, the CIP-N proposes adopting motion Gossi 26.3244 (Switzerlands participation in return center projects), which aims for Switzerland to participate in outsourced return center projects in third countries. The majority believes that the deterrent effect produced by these return centers should be utilized. It also notes that thanks to these centers, rejected asylum seekers wait for their return to their country of origin not in Switzerland, but in third countries. The minority questions whether these return centers guarantee the fundamental rights of particularly vulnerable individuals. Furthermore, it does not wish for the Federal Council to be obliged today to participate in projects whose viability and profitability have not yet been demonstrated. Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia on the list of safe countries of origin or provenance By a vote of 16 to 9, the commission is in favor of adding Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia to the list of safe countries of origin or provenance exempt from persecution. It made this decision while examining motion 26.3407 (Extend the list of safe countries of origin), submitted by Councilor Pirmin Schwander. Given that the European Union declared Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia as safe countries of origin in February 2026, it considers that Switzerland can do the same. By a vote of 13 to 12, the commission does not wish to include Turkey on this list. At the summer session of 2026, the National Council made the same decision while examining motion 26.3067, which has the same content. Accelerate the implementation of the asylum strategy 2027 The motion Wurth 25.4278 (Absolute priority to the package of measures aimed at accelerating asylum procedures) aims for the Federal Council to prioritize the implementation of motion 24.4271 from the CdF-E (Package of measures aimed at accelerating asylum procedures), which has been transmitted to it, and to postpone the asylum strategy 2027. The commission notes that the implementation work of the asylum strategy 2027, developed jointly by the Confederation, the cantons, cities, and municipalities, is progressing and that significant progress has been made since the motion was submitted. It supports the direction of this strategy, which aims to improve and develop the Swiss asylum system, as well as the steps taken so far towards its implementation. However, it insists that the work aimed at accelerating asylum procedures progresses quickly. By a vote of 16 to 8, it has therefore decided to support the motion but to modify it so that the legislative changes necessary for the implementation of motion 24.4271 within the framework of the implementation of the asylum strategy are submitted to Parliament no later than August 2027. The commission met on October 22 and 23, 2026, in Bern, under the presidency of National Councilor Nina Schlafli (S, TG).
