Italy counts three returns from Germany – Austria already records four

The Italian government sees in the discrepancy a sign of an uneven application of European return rules. Spokespersons from the Interior Ministry pointed out that Italy, as a southern external border state, bears the main burden of arrivals across the Mediterranean and is dependent on a fair burden-sharing within the EU.

Background: The Dublin Procedure

The background to the debate is the Dublin Procedure, which provides that asylum applications are generally processed in the EU state in which an applicant first set foot on European soil. On this basis, other member states can formally transfer those seeking protection back there.

From the circle of Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, it was said that the figures proved that some EU states were not living up to their responsibility to the same extent as Italy. Sentiment within the Italian coalition toward Berlin has recently been described as irritated.

Salvini's Position on Sea Rescue

The German federal government in Berlin has so far not commented substantively on the figures cited by Rome. The Austrian government also issued no statement on the four returns mentioned. No official reaction has been reported from Vienna so far.

Salvini's deputy commented in principle on the logic of returns. Salvini stated according to the wording available: "Germany has no right to send even a single illegal immigrant back to us, as long as German NGO ships are operating in the Mediterranean to bring thousands of illegal immigrants ashore in Italy and Europe." He thereby linked the debate over returns with the question of sea rescue in the Mediterranean.

Reactions from Berlin and Vienna

In the Italian press, the comparatively small number from Germany was interpreted as a political signal. Commentators pointed out that these are very small absolute figures that are nevertheless charged with symbolism because they make visible the asymmetry of burden-sharing.

The EU Commission in Brussels was initially unavailable for comment on August 22. In informal talks, Commission officials pointed out that responsibility for transfers lay with the national authorities and that comparisons between member states were only of limited meaningfulness.

Rome announced that it intended to put the topic on the agenda at upcoming meetings of EU interior ministers. According to Italian diplomats, a more uniform application of the Dublin rules is to be demanded, including binding quotas for the distribution of those seeking protection.

Outlook on the EU Council of Interior Ministers

In parallel, discontent is growing among the Italian public over the failure to reform the Common European Asylum System. Human rights organizations accused the Italian government of instrumentalizing the figures for domestic political purposes.

The next bilateral consultations between Rome and Berlin are scheduled for autumn, according to the Italian Foreign Ministry. Asylum policy is expected to be one of the dominant topics in the run-up.

Observers in both capitals expect that the debate over returns will intensify in the coming weeks, should the figures fail to converge.