In the light of the abolition of border controls in the internal market, EU member states have developed a common system of redistribution for the treatment of asylum seekers. The central instrument of this is the 'safe third country' rule. While much of the contemporary debate on Western European asylum policies concentrates on the exclusionary character of this new instrument, only little attention is paid to its impact on the Union's neighbouring states. This article addresses the extent to which intergovernmental harmonizations in asylum and immigration matters have expanded to thefieldof external relations and triggered the adoption of corresponding policies in other European states. Here, it distinguishes between the transborder effects of intergovernmental forms of cooperation (Schengen, TREVI), activities under the Third Pillar of the European Union, and bilateral processes between EU Member States and third countries. The paper shows that the expanding use of the 'safe third country' rule implies the unquestioned incorporation of a 'wider' Europe into this new system of asylum co-operation, which not only shifts its borders eastward but also weakens the international commitment to refugee protection.