Switzerland Reports Stalled Dublin Transfers to Italy

The Swiss government has stated that Italy has not accepted any return of asylum seekers under the Dublin Regulation since the planned resumption of transfers at the end of August. Justice Minister Beat Jans indicated on Friday that the situation remains difficult, noting that despite Italian promises to accept these cases, no returns have been executed. This development highlights a significant gap between the operational plans outlined by Berne and the actual compliance observed on the ground.

According to Jans, Italy is currently breaching common European rules in this specific area. While the minister acknowledged that a bilateral readmission agreement continues to function for irregular migrants, with approximately 15 individuals returned daily, the broader Dublin mechanism appears stalled. He described the ongoing dialogue with Rome as proceeding step by step, suggesting that a resolution is not imminent despite the continued pressure from Swiss authorities.

Bilateral channels remain operational

Despite the impasse regarding the Dublin Regulation, the two countries maintain a separate bilateral framework for managing migration flows. Jans clarified that Switzerland is able to return irregular migrants to Italy under this distinct agreement. He emphasized that Italy is complying with these bilateral obligations, thereby distinguishing the current failure in the EU-wide Dublin system from the functioning of direct bilateral cooperation. This separation underscores the complexity of managing migration through multiple overlapping legal instruments.

Vincenzo Mascioli, the State Secretary for Migration, also characterized the current situation as unsatisfactory. He expressed the expectation that Italy will resume readmissions once the new EU Asylum and Migration Pact becomes fully operative. The timeline for this shift is linked to upcoming EU milestones, providing a potential anchor for future diplomatic engagement between the two nations.

Broader European context emerges

The Swiss position is part of a wider European trend where several nations, including Germany, Austria, Finland, Sweden, and the Netherlands, intend to return secondary migrants to Italy. This collective stance is grounded in the Dublin Regulation, which mandates that asylum applications be processed in the first EU country of entry. The Swiss government had initially assumed that Italy would cooperate in this framework, particularly after plans to resume repatriations were announced in mid-August.

Italy’s stance has shifted since Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took office in December 2022, when all readmissions were halted. Recently, Meloni defended her approach, describing the new EU Asylum and Migration Pact as a positive turning point. She suggested that Italy could benefit from the rules that came into force in June, indicating a strategic reassessment of the country's role in European migration management. According to GN geopolitics/migration (en-US), this divergence between national policies and EU obligations is a growing source of tension.

Future reports will monitor compliance

The next critical step in this diplomatic process is expected in October, when the EU is scheduled to publish an initial interim report on cooperation between member states. This document will likely address the specific challenges facing the Dublin system and the extent of compliance by individual nations. Analysts will be watching to see if this report catalyzes a change in Italian policy or if the standoff with Switzerland and other European states persists.