Migrants: Piantedosi, EU finally takes a turn, Italian approach prevails

Brussels, 8 December (LaPresse) – ‘The breakthrough that the Italian government requested on migration has been achieved: we have finally obtained a European list of safe countries of origin, completely reformed the concept of safe third countries, and are moving towards implementing a truly effective European repatriation system.’ This was stated by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi after attending the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels. “Member States will finally be able to apply accelerated border procedures (as provided for in the Italy-Albania protocol), and in addition, there is the important new development that judicial appeals will no longer have the automatic suspensive effect of the return decision. Furthermore, the definition of a European list of safe third countries, which includes not only candidate countries but also countries such as Egypt, Tunisia and Bangladesh, is in line with the measures already adopted by Italy,” he continued. ‘The possibility of repatriating people to third countries other than their countries of origin, and of using repatriation hubs not only as points of arrival but also as points of transit, increases our operational capacity,’ explains the Minister of the Interior. The collaboration proposed by Italy with France and Germany was fundamental to the success of the negotiations: with the latter, in particular, we shared a new approach towards NGOs, which we agreed often constitute a pull factor for irregular migration flows. In line with the European framework, Italy and Germany have also agreed to suspend the Dublin Regulation until the new Asylum and Migration Pact comes into force, when the new mechanisms adopted will ensure the right balance between solidarity and responsibility.