Italy rejects all 12 migrant transfer requests under new EU asylum system in first three weeks

The Union is calling for further tightening after the EU asylum reform comes into force. Deputy parliamentary group leader Günter Krings (CDU) supports the proposal to abolish subsidiary protection and enable rejections at safe third countries.

The new EU asylum system, the Common European Asylum System (GEAS), was designed to reduce the number of migrants and distribute them more fairly. However, early implementation has been sobering: Italy is currently undermining a key return mechanism.

According to an EU report, Italy has so far blocked the transfer of all asylum seekers from Germany and other EU member states. In the first three weeks after the new system came into force, other EU members submitted twelve requests to Rome to take back migrants for whom Italy is responsible — and were rejected twelve times.

Under the new asylum rules, rejecting a transfer is no longer permitted. However, the report states that Italian authorities did not even coordinate with other EU states on alternative dates. The EU Commission praised Italy for its efforts in implementing the new asylum rules but said it must stop undermining actual transfers.

The analysis examines the first three weeks of implementation of the new rules, which took effect on June 12 with the new Common European Asylum System (GEAS). It focuses only on Cyprus, Spain, Greece, and Italy, as these four countries with key EU external borders are entitled to support from other member states.

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In return, however, these countries are also obliged to take back asylum seekers who have irregularly moved onward — for example, to Germany. This is because, in principle, the member state where protection seekers first arrive in the EU is responsible for the asylum procedure.

For years, this rule caused disputes among member states. While countries at the external borders felt left alone with large numbers of refugees, countries like Germany and France insisted on the responsibility rules. The EU asylum reform was intended to create a balance and resolve the conflict.

Cyprus and Spain Perform Better

While Cyprus and Spain do not cause the EU Commission any concern, the Brussels authority remains cautious in its judgment of Greece. The Greek measures so far demonstrate the country's willingness to ensure implementation of the new rules, the report states.

The Moria camp for illegal immigrants on the Greek island of Lesbos. Source: REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki

According to the report, Greece has so far received eight requests for the acceptance of migrants from other member states. At the time the report was prepared, Greek authorities still had time to respond to the transfers, as the legal deadlines had not yet expired.

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Since the new rules have been in effect for less than a month, the results of this initial assessment must be considered preliminary, the EU Commission announced. A more comprehensive analysis is expected in October. If countries like Italy do not comply with the rules, they could lose their claim to solidarity. An EU official stated that the analysis shows the EU Commission is closely monitoring whether the rules are being implemented.

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