| | Italy takes a daring step on migration and challenges the EU to follow suit
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By Jorge Liboreiro
Brussels loves a good keyword and tends to come up with one or two for any flagship legislative proposal. When it comes to migration policy, the term most in vogue right now is “external dimension,” a vaguely-defined concept that refers to cooperation with non-EU countries to stem the flows of asylum seekers by, essentially, preventing the departure of migrant vessels.
Reinforcing the “external dimension,” the thinking goes, will make it much easier to manage the “internal dimension” of migration, that is the processing of asylum claims, the deportation of rejected applicants and the relocation of those who are granted international protection.
In other words, less work for member states.
Since jumping to the very top of the political agenda earlier this year, leaders have warmly embraced the “external dimension” as the be-all and end-all priority, depicting it as the only viable path to successfully manage the age-old issue of irregular migration.
For all the talk, though, actual results can be counted on the fingers of one hand.
In fact, the only EU-wide novelty to emerge this year is the Tunisian memorandum, which, as readers of this newsletter well know, has been plagued with setbacks and scandals since its presentation in mid-July. Egypt is being touted as the next candidate for a tailor-made deal but no progress has so far been reported.
Italy, the fiercest proponent of the “external dimension,” is seemingly running out of patience and is now taking matters into its own hands – most decisively.
Rome announced this week a surprising agreement with Albania to build two centres in the Balkan country and process up to 36,000 asylum claims per year. The news came after a bilateral meeting between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Albanian counterpart, Edi Rama, both of whom shook hands with a big smile on their faces.
According to Meloni, pregnant women, children and vulnerable people will be excluded from the scheme. The infrastructure will be paid for by Rome while Tirana has committed to providing security services and external surveillance. The launch has been set for spring 2024.
Notably, the two centres will be governed under Italian jurisdiction, despite being located in a foreign country. This point raised immediate concerns about the extraterritorial application of Italian and EU law, something that, in the field of migration, will be unprecedented. Amnesty International said the move was “unworkable” and designed to exempt Italy from its international obligations.
In Brussels, the European Commission appeared perplexed by the initiative, despite insisting it had been notified in advance. Faced with a barrage of questions from eager journalists, spokespeople struggled to draw a line between what was legal and illegal and said an internal analysis was ongoing.
Meanwhile, Meloni was quick to hail the deal as a “model of cooperation between EU and non-EU countries” in migration management. “I think (it) features a bold European spirit,” she told an Italian newspaper.
Whether the agreement would become a blueprint for other countries remains to be seen. Italy is able to rely on Albania due to its geographic proximity and historically friendly relations. “When Italy needs it, we give a hand, and we are honoured to do it,” Edi Rama said. Not every member state has such an amicable neighbour to reach out to, making it difficult to mimic the deal.
Meloni’s greatest contribution might very well be the taboo-breaking nature of the scheme in itself. Although Denmark and Austria had in the past expressed their willingness to pursue an arrangement with a non-European country, the backlash and legal fight unleashed by the UK-Rwanda plan has given the countries pause for thought.
Italy’s daring strategy suddenly changes the equation and makes the outsourcing of migration seem not only politically desirable but also, somehow, feasible.
STAR-STRUCK That’s how the European Parliament was this week by the visit of Cate Blanchett. In an impassioned speech, the two-time Oscar winner and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador urged MEPs to put “humanity back at the centre and the heart” of the EU’s asylum policy. Coincidentally, Blanchett denounced the “harmful” policy of “externalisation.” Here’s what else she said.
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Meloni was quick to hail the deal as a “model of cooperation between EU and non-EU countries” in migration management
