The Swiss government plans to resume the transfer of alleged asylum seekers who entered E.U. territory through Italy back to the neighboring nation by the end of August.
For nearly four years, the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has suspended the application of the so-called Dublin Regulations in Italy. The regulations are a controversial E.U. rule that grants member states nations the ability to send alleged asylum seekers back to the E.U. country in which the migrant first entered E.U. territory.
Although Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, it is part of the region’s Schengen open borders agreement and a signatory of the Dublin Regulations.
State Secretariat for Migration spokesperson Magdalena Baker confirmed to the Swiss broadcaster SRF that the “first flights have been booked” for the transfer of the migrants back to Italy — noting that these would initially be “isolated cases.” Baked stated that the resumption of the transfers will take place through a gradual process starting on the end of August.
“It is in Switzerland’s interest that the reopening be managed in a way that is sustainable for both sides, so that the system functions effectively over the long term and is not overburdened,” Baker reportedly said.
The planned transfers, SRF detailed, involve alleged asylum seekers currently that entered E.U. territory after June 12, the day when the European Union’s new Pact on Migration and Asylum, which went into effect. The Swiss broadcaster noted that Italian government now appears to be willing to receive migrants after nearly four years — but only those who entered E.U. territory through Italy after the start of the new migration pact on June 12.
“The new procedures will first be tested using current cases,” Baker detailed.
According to SRF, the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration did not disclose whether Italy also refuses to accept the return of the alleged asylum seekers before that date. The Secretariat reportedly emphasized that it has no agreement with Italy which would exclude asylum seekers who entered at an earlier date from being transferred back.
Both Italy’s Corriere della Sera and SkyTG24, however, report that no agreement has allegedly been reached between both nations for the handling of the returns. The Italian government has not publicly commented on the matter at press time.
Per SRF, Italy refused to accept the transfer of 3,794 alleged asylum seekers from Switzerland after the suspension of the Dublin Regulations. The Swiss State Secretariat told the broadcaster that Switzerland was thus “obligated” grant asylum procedures to the migrants, with almost 40 percent having so far received said benefits, and about 1,300 whose procedures are underway. As such, the Secretariat reportedly said, “Switzerland could now only return 632 people to Italy.”
Switzerland’s plans to transfer back asylum seekers to Italy come roughly a week after Germany announced similar plans. Reports published at the time indicated that Rome rejected Berlin’s intentions to send back the migrants on grounds that both nations agreed to a “clean slate” when it came to the Dublin Regulations applicable to all related cases prior to June 12.
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