委员会各部门对发送给委员的请愿书的答复——2025年

Subject:Reply to yourpetition–Ref. Ares(2025)4691599 DearPetitioner, Thankyou forinforming the Commission of your communication to theSwissgovernmentonyourconcernsonthe return of Pashtun Afghanrefugees from Switzerland. The EU strongly condemns the systemic violation of human rights taking place inAfghanistan, inparticular of women, children, persons belonging to ethnic and religiousminorities, LGBTI persons, human rights defenders, journalists and other media workers, Under EU law, the assessment of whether a third country is safe for return is subject to anindividual assessment.The common standards and procedures for returning illegallystaying third-country nationalsfrom the EU and the Schengen areaare governed bythe Switzerland isalsoassociated to parts of the EU asylum rules(3).On this basis Switzerlandapplies the so-called Dublin III Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 604/2013) whichdeterminesthe Member State responsible for examining an asylum application. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. The Commissionwill continue to follow thematter,including in our engagement with the Swiss authorities by virtue of their Yoursfaithfully, Beate GMINDER