Migrants, because Germany has reopened the Dubliners case with Italy

The European Union’s new migration pact has faced its first major test after Italy rejected asylum applications from twelve individuals who arrived in the country earlier this year. The decision highlights growing tensions over the implementation of the pact, which came into effect in June and aims to streamline asylum procedures while limiting secondary movements of migrants within Europe. According to Italian authorities, these twelve applicants were among the nearly 2,000 migrants arriving from Somalia in the first seven months of 2026, a country with which Italy does not have a repatriation agreement. As a result, the Italian government determined that the individuals did not meet the criteria for asylum under the new regulations. The rejection of these initial cases has sparked debate in Brussels, where officials have expressed concerns over the strictness of Italy's border controls. EU representatives have raised questions about whether Italy’s measures are proportionate given the current migrant crisis in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on the North African coast that has become a focal point for irregular crossings. While the EU has not formally criticized Rome, informal discussions suggest that some member states believe the Italian approach could be excessive and potentially counterproductive in managing the broader migration challenge. At the heart of the controversy lies the Dublin Regulation, replaced by the new AMMR (Asylum and Migration Management Regulation) under the EU’s migration pact. This regulation maintains the principle that asylum seekers must apply in the first EU country they arrive in, unless exceptions such as family ties or other specific circumstances apply. For countries like Italy, which often serve as the first port of entry for migrants arriving by sea, the implications are significant. Under the new rules, responsibility for processing an asylum application extends from 12 to 20 months for irregular arrivals, compared to 12 months for those rescued at sea. If an individual evades detection, the obligation can last up to three years. The pact also introduces mechanisms designed to reduce the burden on frontline countries by enabling "responsibility offsets." These allow one EU nation to take on some of the asylum processing duties normally assigned to another state, effectively shifting the responsibility through mutual agreements. Germany, for instance, has shown interest in leveraging this provision to manage the influx of migrants arriving in Italy before moving northward. However, the Italian government has resisted such efforts, arguing that it should not bear the brunt of processing asylum claims for individuals who subsequently relocate to other EU nations. Germany’s renewed focus on the issue comes amid political developments in both countries. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni faces domestic elections later this year, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is preparing for regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6 and Berlin and Mecklenburg-West Pomerania on September 20. Both leaders have emphasized their opposition to uncontrolled immigration, a stance that aligns with rising populist sentiment in their respective regions. The situation has further complicated relations between Italy and Spain, which has accused Rome of failing to control migration flows toward Ceuta. Despite the emphasis on solidarity, the new pact has not yet resolved the underlying challenges of uneven distribution of responsibilities among member states. The EU Council has set a minimum annual target of 21,000 resettlements or 420 million euros in financial compensation for countries that fail to meet relocation quotas. However, the effectiveness of this mechanism remains uncertain, particularly as some nations continue to resist taking in migrants from other parts of Europe. Italian officials have defended their position, stating that enforcing the new regulations is necessary to prevent abuse of the system. They argue that allowing migrants to bypass the first country of arrival undermines the integrity of the asylum process and risks creating incentives for illegal movement across borders. Meanwhile, German authorities have called for more flexibility in handling cases involving individuals already present in their territory, suggesting that the current framework may need adjustments to better reflect real-world conditions. With the first rejections under the new pact now in place, the coming weeks will likely see increased scrutiny of how the regulations are applied in practice. The outcome could shape future negotiations on migration policy and influence the broader dynamics of cooperation within the EU.