http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/27/1096137172735.html
"A 'white list' of 10 nations from which asylum applications will be presumed to be false by all European Union countries is to go ahead, despite warnings of human rights violations.
The list of 'safe countries' covers seven African states, including Benin, Botswana, Ghana, Mali and Senegal, as well as Chile, Costa Rica and Uruguay.
The European list is modelled on the British system, which presumes asylum claims from designated 'safe' countries are unfounded and applicants fast-tracked for removal. The system has operated since 1993.
The EU list will form a cornerstone of the new common European asylum policy. Member states can add countries to their national list, but they cannot remove names from the EU list, even on human rights grounds."
