sabato 30 settembre 2023

How should Italy and the EU respond to the refugee and migrant challenge? How is the situation evolving?

Current 2023

https://www.internazionale.it/ultime-notizie/2023/10/04/riforma-migranti-unione-europea

https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/mediterranean

https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/mediterranean/location/5205

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/what-lies-behind-italys-immigration-crisis-2023-09-13/

https://tg24.sky.it/cronaca/2023/09/20/migranti-italia-rimpatri-espulsioni#00

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/06/08/migration-policy-council-reaches-agreement-on-key-asylum-and-migration-laws/

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20230723-italy-s-meloni-hosts-conference-on-immigration-with-regional-leaders

https://www.governo.it/en/articolo/president-meloni-s-press-conference-nato-summit-vilnius/23142

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_23_4502

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/17/eu-chief-promises-action-plan-as-italy-sees-surge-of-asylum-seekers

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/09/19/european-pact-for-migration-adoption-still-faces-resistance-despite-lampedusa-emergency-crisis_6137686_4.html

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/18/italy-set-to-pass-stricter-measures-on-migrant-arrivals

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/3/italy-detains-two-ngo-vessels-for-defying-new-rescue-law

Nel 2022 ‘per quanto riguarda il sistema d'asilo italiano, le domande esaminate sono state 52.625: il 53% i dinieghi (27.385), il 12% i riconoscimenti dello status di rifugiato (6.161), il 13% i beneficiari di protezione sussidiaria (6.770), il 21% i beneficiari di protezione speciale  (10.865).’

from: https://www.rainews.it/articoli/2023/02/consiglio-italiano-rifugiati-nel-2022-sono-state-presentate-oltre-77-mila-domande-dasilo-f994768a-b41a-49dd-b0b8-c567e83bad00.html

protezione sussidiaria: ‘I titolari di protezione sussidiaria sono le persone che, pur non essendo rifugiate, corrono effettivamente il rischio di subire nel Paese di origine un grave danno (condanna a morte, tortura, trattamento inumano o degradante, pericolo di morte a causa di un conflitto armato).’

From: https://www.interno.gov.it/sites/default/files/allegati/la_guida_in_italiano.pdf

Il permesso per protezione speciale dopo il decreto-legge 20/2023: https://www.uil.it/immigrazione/NewsSX.asp?ID_News=15800

https://www.gov.mt/en/Government/DOI/Press%20Releases/Pages/2023/03/04/pr230333en.aspx

https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/51551/italy-and-greece-agree-on-mediterranean-migration-alliance

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/16/tunisia-and-eu-finalise-deal-on-migration

https://www.repubblica.it/solidarieta/profughi/2023/02/02/news/memorandum_italialibia_roma_aumenta_i_finanziamenti_per_respingere_i_migranti_verso_le_galere_di_tripoli_khoms_misurata-386168186/

https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/migranti-termine-scaduto-si-rinnova-altri-tre-anni-memorandum-italia-e-libia-AE1NzHDC

Ukrainian Refugees

https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/future-development/2022/10/14/ukrainian-refugees-challenges-in-a-welcoming-europe/

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/ukraine-refugees-eu/

No, l’Italia non ha accolto mezzo milione di ucraini | Pagella Politica

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Ukrainian_refugee_crisis

https://www.eurac.edu/en/blogs/mobile-people-and-diverse-societies/i-rifugiati-ucraini-in-italia

https://www.affarinternazionali.it/sondaggio-iai-laps-2022-migrazioni/

Italy in support of Ukraine – Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale

A European overview – look at all the sections of the first document:

https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-way-life/statistics-migration-europe_en

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/irregular-arrivals-since-2008/#:~:text=Total%20irregular%20arrivals%20to%20the,Central%20route%3A%20114%20265%20arrivals

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/03/14/here-are-the-key-numbers-about-migration-to-the-eu-you-need-to-know

What is the situation in September 2023 in the Mediterranean, the Balkans and southern Europe? Do some research!

https://www.interno.gov.it/sites/default/files/2023-09/cruscotto_statistico_giornaliero_20-09-2023.pdf

Lavoro, ecco il nuovo decreto flussi: previsti 452mila ingressi dal 2023 al 2025 - Il Sole 24 ORE

https://migration.iom.int/europe/arrivals

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/what-lies-behind-italys-immigration-crisis-2023-09-13/

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/eu-libya-relations_en

The first links below may be a good place to start:

Migranti e migrazioni in Italia: la dashboard con tutti i numeri | ISPI (ispionline.it)

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/ispitel-fact-checking-migrazioni-2021-31027

Crisis to watch 2023: Migrazioni | ISPI (ispionline.it)

https://italy.iom.int/it/news/mediterraneo-centrale-il-numero-di-morti-registrato-nei-primi-3-mesi-dellanno-e-il-piu-alto-dal-2017

These links tell you about those already here: https://www.piuculture.it/2020/05/chi-sono-e-quanti-sono-gli-immigrati-irregolari-dati/

Vero: in Italia si stimano oltre 500 mila immigrati irregolari | Pagella Politica

https://www.lenius.it/stranieri-in-italia/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhMjbx9bl7AIVBaWyCh2pAwWhEAAYAiAAEgKVNvD_BwE

È vero, arrivano molti migranti. Ma in Italia sono in tutto 5 milioni da 10 anni - HuffPost Italia (huffingtonpost.it)

Difficulty in effectively reforming the Dublin Regulation and tensions between the  Italian government and its EU partners and within Italy

https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/common-european-asylum-system/country-responsible-asylum-application-dublin-regulation_en

https://www.diritto.it/accordo-riforma-regolamento-dublino-ue-immigrazione/?callback=in&code=ZWNKYTBINMETN2M0YY0ZZWYYLTK4N2QTMDY1MGIZZGFIYZC3&state=15d19759171140158f8c6512baa449f8

https://china-cee.eu/2023/08/07/poland-social-briefing-dispute-over-the-influx-of-immigrants-to-poland/

Lots of background

https://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2021/02/23/news/effetto_covid_diminuiscono_gli_immigrati_irregolari_in_italia_ismu_la_crisi_economica_incentiva_la_mobilita_degli_strani-288760844/

https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/20642/680-000-irregular-migrants-in-italy-after-security-decree-study-finds

Deal on EU funds for common asylum,migration and integration policies up to 2027 | News | European Parliament (europa.eu)

Migrazione: due Fondi UE per sostenere le politiche di asilo e di frontiera | Attualità | Parlamento europeo (europa.eu)

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/europa-un-nuovo-vecchio-patto-sulle-migrazioni-27580?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhMjbx9bl7AIVBaWyCh2pAwWhEAAYASAAEgJ1IPD_BwE

https://italy.representation.ec.europa.eu/notizie-ed-eventi/notizie/dichiarazione-sullaccordo-politico-sul-nuovo-patto-sulla-migrazione-e-lasilo-2023-06-09_it

https://noi-italia.istat.it/pagina.php?id=3&categoria=4&action=show&L=0

centri per l’immigrazione: https://www.interno.gov.it/it/temi/immigrazione-e-asilo/sistema-accoglienza-sul-territorio/centri-limmigrazione

https://frontex.europa.eu/along-eu-borders/migratory-map/

https://www.corriere.it/cronache/19_maggio_02/i-dati-demografo-capo-dell-istatgli-irregolari-italia-sono-600-mila-dacab266-6d0c-11e9-bcbb-8ef451e0c86f.shtml

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/migrazioni-nel-mediterraneo-tutti-i-numeri-24892

https://www.asylumineurope.org/reports/country/italy

https://asylumineurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/AIDA-IT_2022-Update.pdf

https://tradingeconomics.com/italy/persons-subject-of-asylum-applications-pending-at-the-end-of-the-month-eurostat-data.html

https://migrationdataportal.org/regional-data-overview/europe

https://asylumineurope.org/reports/country/italy/overview-main-changes-previous-report-update/

https://asylumineurope.org/reports/country/italy/asylum-procedure/access-procedure-and-registration/access-territory-and-push-backs/

https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/italy

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/it/headlines/society/20230704STO02012/processi-di-rimpatrio-quanti-immigrati-nell-ue-vengono-rimpatriati

https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/countries/europe/italy

https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/italy-human-rights-court-rules-against-hotspot-detention

https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/14-february-2023-libya

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_Italy

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/11/14/5-facts-about-unauthorized-immigration-in-europe/

https://www.piuculture.it/2020/05/chi-sono-e-quanti-sono-gli-immigrati-irregolari-dati/

https://www.infodata.ilsole24ore.com/2018/07/14/immigrazione-irregolare-quanti-clandestini/?refresh_ce=1

https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2019/11/13/europes-unauthorized-immigrant-population-peaks-in-2016-then-levels-off/

https://www.pewresearch.org/2019/11/15/video-estimating-europes-unauthorized-immigrant-population/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/13/4m-unauthorised-immigrants-in-europe-in-2017-study

https://migrationdataportal.org/regional-data-overview/europe

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/europa-e-migrazioni-che-punto-siamo-27333?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9uWZwob_6wIVDah3Ch27Ew8vEAAYASAAEgKcxPD_BwE

https://www.ispionline.it/it/pubblicazione/migrazioni-italia-tutti-i-numeri-24893

https://www.euractiv.com/section/justice-home-affairs/news/mandatory-relocation-still-point-of-contention-in-new-eu-migration-pact/

https://www.dw.com/en/opinion-eu-migration-pact-has-already-failed/a-55059684

https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2018/06/15/sondaggi-il-64-per-cento-degli-italiani-approverebbe-blocco-navale-per-fermare-i-migranti-uno-su-tre-tra-elettori-pd/4429645/

https://www.liberoquotidiano.it/news/politica/23724256/sondaggio-termometro-politico-italiani-temono-immigrati-portino-coronavirus.html

http://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/syria Syrian migrants in neighbouring countries

EU and North African countries: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/06/29/eu-seeks-migration-cooperation-agreements-with-north-african-countries_6039105_4.html

Africa: https://www.gisreportsonline.com/r/eu-africa-migration/

https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/january-2006/african-migration-tensions-solutions#:~:text=Migration%20brings%20with%20it%20%E2%80%9Cmany,of%20refugees%20and%20asylum%20seekers.

https://www.henleyglobal.com/publications/global-mobility-report/2023-q1/global-trends/africaeuropean-union-cooperation-migration-and-mobility-global-perspective

https://www.infodata.ilsole24ore.com/2019/08/09/in-italia-gli-immigrati-irregolari-sono-meno-della-media-europea-la-fotografia/?refresh_ce=1

https://www.agi.it/estero/migranti_irregolari_clandestini_in_europa-6542965/news/2019-11-15/

https://www.piuculture.it/2020/05/chi-sono-e-quanti-sono-gli-immigrati-irregolari-dati/

https://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2020/10/28/news/gli_effetti_del_covid_sui_migranti_-272056301/

https://www.lenius.it/sistema-di-accoglienza-dei-migranti-in-italia/

https://www.lenius.it/immigrati-a-roma/

https://www.msf.org/libya%E2%80%99s-cycle-detention-exploitation-and-abuse-against-migrants-and-refugees

NGO criticism of Italy-Libya Memorandum of Understanding:

https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/europe-and-central-asia/italy/report-italy/

https://www.amnesty.it/appelli/italia-libia-cancellare-il-memorandum-dintesa/

https://www.amnesty.it/memorandum-intesa-italia-libia-quarto-anniversario/

https://www.hrw.org/it/news/2020/02/12/338789

https://www.repubblica.it/solidarieta/profughi/2023/02/02/news/memorandum_italialibia_roma_aumenta_i_finanziamenti_per_respingere_i_migranti_verso_le_galere_di_tripoli_khoms_misurata-386168186/

https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/02/01/italy-reups-funding-force-migrants-back-libya

https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/politica/2023/01/28/meloni-intesa-italia-libia-per-potenziare-guardia-costiera-_fc86d2f8-f92e-4c5e-b14d-d132752b17af.html

https://www.interno.gov.it/it/temi/immigrazione-e-asilo/sistema-accoglienza-sul-territorio/centri-limmigrazione

https://www.giurisprudenzapenale.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Alessandro-Valenti-La-detenzione-amministrativa-dei-migranti.pdf

https://www.fieri.it/2020/04/26/pandemia-e-rimpatri-ripensare-la-detenzione-amministrativa-dei-migranti-durante-e-dopo-il-covid-19/

https://temi.camera.it/leg18/post/cpr.html

https://ilbolive.unipd.it/it/migranti-rimpatriati-italia-2019

The humanitarian crisis is now also in the detention centres in Libya. And this raises the question of complicity in human rights violations. Some of the accusations of human rights violations of refugees and migrants in Libya and Turkey:

https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/03/1114842

https://reliefweb.int/report/libya/libya-death-detainee-underscores-lethal-conditions-migrant-detention-centres-enar#:~:text=Thousands%20of%20migrants%20and%20asylum,%2C%20extortion%2C%20and%20sexual%20harassment.

https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/un-rights-mission-blasts-eu-on-libya-migrant-abuses/

https://www.hrw.org/report/2019/01/21/no-escape-hell/eu-policies-contribute-abuse-migrants-libya

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/2023-06-27/20/

https://asylumineurope.org/reports/country/turkiye/detention-asylum-seekers/detention-conditions/place-detention/

And the longer-term background:

What happened in the crisis years and later developments

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34131911 A summary of the 2015 situation. The scale of the phenomenon with estimated number of illegal immigrants coming into the EU in the years before. More than a million illegal migrants and refugees crossed into Europe in 2015, sparking a crisis as countries struggled to cope with the influx, and creating division in the EU over how best to deal with resettling people. The symbolic milestone was passed on 21 December 2015, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said, with the total for land and sea reaching more than 1,006,000. The figure covers entries via six European Union nations - Greece, Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Malta and Cyprus.

 This compared with 72,437 illegal immigrants to the EU in 2012, 107,365 in 2013 and 283,532 In 2014. However, 1,000,000 still represents only 0.2% of the EU’s population of 500 million.

The EU response

 

According to Frontex this figure fell in 2016 to 503,700 detections of illegal border crossings. This was mainly due to the EU/Turkey agreement, which came into effect in March 2016 and led to tighter border control by the Turkish authorities and readmission of migrants from the Greek islands to Turkey.

https://www.internazionale.it/notizie/2016/03/18/cosa-prevede-l-accordo-sui-migranti-tra-europa-e-turchia

The drop was also influenced by tighter border controls in the Western Balkans.However, the number of detections on the Central Mediterranean route (towards Italy) rose by nearly one-fifth to 181, 000, the highest number ever recorded. This reflects a steadily increasing migratory pressure from the African continent, particularly West Africa, which accounted for most of the growth in 2016. 

http://frontex.europa.eu/news/fewer-migrants-at-eu-borders-in-2016-HWnC1J

The overall situation in 2017 showed a further drop in numbers, but arrivals by boat in Italy accounted for most of the figure: 119,310 in total, down by a third compared to the previous year, the Italian Interior Ministry said on Dec 31.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-un/half-as-many-migrants-landed-in-europe-in-2017-as-2016-iom-idUSKBN1EU1KP

EU document on illegal migrants arriving in Italy up to July 2017:

https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/policies/european-agenda-migration/20170704_factsheet_-_central_mediterranean_route_commission_action_plan_to_support_italy_and_stem_flows_en.pdf

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-cant-solve-italy-migration-crisis-refugees-mediterranean-sea/

The Italian response and Italy-Libya Memorandum of Understanding

https://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2017/02/02/news/migranti_accordo_italia-libia_ecco_cosa_contiene_in_memorandum-157464439/

The Italian Strategy in the Med - 2017

https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2017/11/rapporto-med-maeci-2017-eng.pdf

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/02/italy-calls-european-countries-take-migrant-ships-country-struggles/

and in 2018, the numbers remained low

https://reliefweb.int/topics/refugeesmigrants-emergency-europe

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/15/what-current-scale-migration-crisis-europe-future-outlook

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/08/surging-death-toll-in-central-med/

https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/mediterranean

https://frontex.europa.eu/along-eu-borders/migratory-map/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/01/italy-vows-to-send-home-undocumented-immigrants

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/11/italy-coalition-collision-course-eu-migration-standoff-matteo-salvini

https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2018/09/10/news/onu_razzismo_italia-206054277/

https://www.repubblica.it/solidarieta/immigrazione/2018/07/31/news/migrazioni-203075373

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/12448/italy-illegal-migrants

2019

https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/frontex-italia-sbarchi-migranti-minimi-2012-ABDpFIWB

http://www.mediaperiscope.it/blog/modulo-bejour/frontex-e-la-grave-questione-dei-flussi-migratori-nellunione-europea

https://frontex.europa.eu/media-centre/news-release/migratory-situation-in-july-arrivals-in-europe-up-slightly-from-previous-month-rlBoYl

https://www.camera.it/temiap/documentazione/temi/pdf/1105644.pdf?_1566573996938

So the migration challenge for the EU and Italian policy in 2017-21

In brief, there was a significant rise in migration towards the EU increasing dramatically in 2014-17. Then the numbers fell. The question was: Was this influx temporary, the result of turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa or something more fundamental relating to economic migration from poor and often war-torn countries in Africa hit by climate change, where most of the migrants now come from? The numbers remained low during the Covid-19 pandemic but rose in 2022 and  in 2023 are rising rapidly, suggesting that high levels of migration across the Mediterranean are becoming a permanent feature.

Legal Immigration to the EU - Of course we should remember that illegal immigration happens within a wider context of legal immigration and both are important in examining popular reaction inside EU member states.

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/ddn-20220330-2#:~:text=the%20EU%20population-,Non%2DEU%20citizens%20make%20up%205.3%25%20of%20the,EU%20population%20%2D%20Products%20Eurostat%20News&text=On%201%20January%202021%2C%20there,5.3%25%20of%20the%20EU%20population.

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20230505-2

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/03/14/here-are-the-key-numbers-about-migration-to-the-eu-you-need-to-know

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/majority-of-eu-countries-received-more-immigrants-in-2021-resulting-in-every-5-people-being-foreign-born/#:~:text=In%20terms%20of%20the%20biggest,and%207.4%20million%20people%2C%20respectively.

At the same time, internal EU migration from poorer (e.g. Romania) to richer countries, has already produced some serious frictions that may add to tensions between migrants of all kinds and native residents. Xenophobic reactions take various forms. There are accusation that foreigners steal local jobs at a time of recession and obtain welfare payments that they have not contributed to in taxes. Statistically, this seems largely a false impression as foreigners often do jobs that the local population does not want to do and often fail to claim welfare benefits to which they are entitled. However, these concerns about internal EU migration could be dwarfed by non-EU immigration in terms of scale, duration and the social tensions produced if numbers rose dramatically because of a worsening political situation or as a result of climate change.

Another concern is migrant-related crime:

https://www.openpolis.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/The-alleged-relationship-between-immigration-and-criminality.pdf

https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/51931/germany-crime-statistics-and-migration

 

What problems is the EU facing as a result of illegal migration?

 

      The humanitarian crisis – dealing with the situation and scale of the numbers of migrants who are trying to get here. Human smuggling (and trafficking), massive human rights violation and the responsibility to respond to this crisis. Deaths at sea and human rights violations in detention centres in Libya and, to some extend, in Turkey. Beyond this there is the challenge of dealing with migrant trafficking across Africa, through the Sahel and inside Libya.

      Structures - The rising numbers were often said to be beyond the capacity and funding of existing infrastructure (e.g. reception centres) and personnel (e.g. coast guard, police, frontier and migration authorities, interviewers interpreters etc…) and the procedures to deal with the migrants (identification, interviewing, temporary accommodation, repatriation if not accepted and more permanent relocation, accommodation and integration if accepted).

      Tensions between EU member states - Migrants coming into the EU often cross internal EU borders to move to their preferred destination (often in Northern Europe). This creates tensions between EU member states and has led to growing restrictions by states on free movement within the EU and thus an erosion of  the Schengen rules.

     

      Countries on front-line EU external borders (although obviously in a certain sense all countries with ports airports and container ports are on the front line.) e.g. Italy, Greece, Spain, Malta, Romania, Bulgaria  etc.. have been criticized for not securing their borders by providing effective controls against illegal immigration. This criticism has come from destination countries like Germany, the UK, France, and Scandinavia. These countries, in their turn, are criticized by the countries on the exposed external EU borders for failing to provide adequate economic and material assistance to their partners to help them deal with the problem. For example, Operazione Mare Nostrum in 2013-14, financed at significant expense (9 million euros a month for 12 months) and almost exclusively by Italy, was relatively successful compared with the EU Operation Triton (originally called Frontex Plus) and at first financed at only 3 million euros a month (although it later received €120 million for 2015-2016). Operation Triton was replaced by Operation Themis in February 2018. Mare Nostrum operated also in international waters, Triton‘s mission only covered border control and activity within 30 miles off the Italian coast. However, the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean also known as Operation Sophia made the situation more manageable in international waters. Operation Sophia  was replaced by Operation Irini in March 2020.

      https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-migration-policy/saving-lives-sea/

http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/Immigrazione-Ue-prolunga-Triton-nuovi-fondi-e-proroga-fino-alla-fine-del-2015-db26df52-270c-45e3-87e5-a63089365ecc.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EU_Navfor_Med

https://www.difesa.it/OperazioniMilitari/op_intern_corso/eunavfor_med/Pagine/default.aspx

http://eeas.europa.eu/csdp/missions-and-operations/eunavfor-med/index_en.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EU_Navfor_Med

http://www.un.org/press/en/2015/sc12072.doc.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Sophia

https://www.operationsophia.eu/

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operazione_Themis

https://www.difesa.it/OperazioniMilitari/op_intern_corso/EUNAVFOR_MED_Operazione_Irini/Pagine/default.aspx

      However, real doubts and criticisms about the effectiveness of these operations  remain. Instead of deterring migration, critics say they simply confine it to Libya and other parts of North Africa, creating a growing humanitarian crisis in the detention centres. While the search and rescue activities have saved lives, does its destruction of boats lead smugglers to put migrants into even less seaworthy vessels?

      The Dublin III Regulation – This still gives primary responsibility for processing asylum applications to the country of arrival. Italy and other front-line countries have called for a revision of the Regulation and asked other EU member states to open their ports to migrants. See the links above.

      Public opinion in many EU countries – In 2014-15 there was initially a wave of real sympathy for the plight of the migrants on their journey, outrage at their inhuman exploitation by traffickers and smugglers and horror at their sometimes gruesome fate. This was expressed in the generous reaction of governments, NGOs and the public.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/eu-migrant-crisis-map-shows-how-road-to-europe-represents-danger-at-every-turn-for-desperate-refugees-10471125.html

At the same time there was growing concern among EU citizens about the rise in immigrant numbers, increasing opposition to this process, fears about cultural clashes, growing numbers of acts of violence against immigrants and refugee centers and a significant rise in support for xenophobic, or at least more nationalist, political parties. This played an important part in the elections in Italy in March 2018.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/europes-migrant-crisis-arson-attack-suspected-refugee-camp-germany-burnt-down-1517066

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/22/alienated-french-working-class-vote-far-right-claims-analyst

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33700624

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43291390

and now in 2023: https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-struggles-to-contain-migration-influx/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/17/italian-pm-warns-migration-an-issue-for-all-of-europe-on-lampedusa-visit

Criticism of the EU itself – The EU is often blamed and held responsible for the rise in migrant numbers. Nationalist calls for or threats of withdrawal from the EU have also increased, though it is hard to see how leaving the EU would benefit a country in terms of dealing with illegal non-EU immigration as Brexit has demonstrated..

In the Brexit vote a poll of 12,369 voters after the referendum found that one third of Leave voters chose to back Brexit as they saw it "offered the best chance for the UK to regain control over immigration and its own borders." This was the second biggest motivation for Leave voters, just behind “the principle that decisions about the UK should be taken in the UK”.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/29/did-britain-really-vote-brexit-to-cut-immigration/

In October 2016 Hungary held a referendum on whether to comply with the European Union quota system aimed at solving the migrant crisis, setting the stage for a fresh fight over power-sharing in the 28-nation bloc. Hungarians voted to reject the European Union refugee resettlement plan, but failed to turn out in sufficient numbers to make the referendum legally binding. The Hungarian referendum worried some in Brussels, who fear that a series of national votes on specific issues could unfasten key components of EU policy and rules. Senior EU officials have worried that further referendums, above all on a country’s EU membership, could lead to an eventual unravelling of the bloc. There are fears that a failure to agree an effective resettlement scheme could weaken EU unity, cooperation and effectiveness. Some countries in Eastern Europe (the Visegrad group) continue to support membership of the EU but seem determined to oppose any automatic EU redistribution quota system for migrants or other openings of this type from within the EU.

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/visegrad-countries-croatia-oppose-eus-migrant-redistribution-proposal/

Terrorism - With the terrorist attacks in Paris on November 13th 2015 (and further attacks through 2016 and 2017), there was growing public concern that Arab terrorists may manage to get into Europe by pretending to be refugees. There is also concern about border security regarding European citizens who sympathized with ISIS and went to Syria possibly to train and try to return to Europe to carry out an attack.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/630456/EU-migrant-crisis-shock-poll-two-thirds-Germans-expect-ISIS-terrorist-attack

g) The reaction of the EU is often criticized as slow and lacking coordination while EU member states are criticized as too preoccupied with their own national interests. The atmosphere at the EU talks to agree and introduce the quota system among members to deal with the ongoing crisis was an example of these problems.

For the plan and reactions see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34193568

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-eu-idUSKCN0RM10A20150922

https://www.yahoo.com/news/migrants-inundate-eu-crisis-hotspot-croatia-030939642.html

 

http://www.euractiv.com/section/justice-home-affairs/news/many-eu-countries-say-no-to-immigration-quotas/

http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-europe-migrants-juncker-idUKKCN0QT0O720150824

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/01/europes-migration-response-tempers-frayed-insults-traded-results-absent

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/22/us-europe-migrants-eu-idUSKCN0RM10A20150922

      The debate at the start of 2016 about whether or not to suspend the Schengen agreement for 2 years was also an indication of the strong feelings involved, as was Austria's decision to temporarily suspend it in January 2016. This also happened in several EU Schengen area member states (France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Spain and Norway):

https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa/schengen-area/temporary-reintroduction-border-control_en

      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/12115654/EU-leaders-consider-two-year-suspension-of-Schengen-rules.html

      http://www.politico.eu/article/austria-suspends-schengen-border-checks-eu-migrants/

h) The EU- Turkey deal on refugees and migrants in 2016 vastly reduced migration pressure through the Balkans and into Greece but increased pressure on Italy. Moreover, there are also criticisms from human rights groups about conditions for migrants in both Greek and Turkish camps and EU complicity in this situation and fears that Turkey may use the agreement to put pressure on the EU regarding other questions (for example, any action in response to political repression in Turkey itself).

https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/eu-turkey-deal-five-years-on

https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2021/07/cespi-_the_refugee_issue_in_turkeys_relations.pdf

 

What are the problems for the future?

 

a) Beyond the continuing human rights crisis there is the question of whether the scale of the phenomenon is no longer temporary, e.g. due to refugees from the civil war in Syria and the situation in Libya, or part of a growing trend towards movement from non-EU states to the EU based on hopes for greater economic well-being and more security and freedom (e.g. from Africa and even Bangladesh).

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-37759-4_8#:~:text=Political%20and%20economic%20problems%20affecting,of%20people%20within%20the%20region.

https://www.icmpd.org/file/download/59113/file/ICMPD%2520Migration%2520Outlook%2520Mediterranean%25202023.pdf

https://www.icmpd.org/file/download/58952/file/ICMPD_Migration_Outlook_2023.pdf

b) The need to quickly and effectively integrate into society those migrants who are allowed to stay. Many experts argue that many states in the EU with aging populations need migrants as a young and flexible workforce. Others point to the failures in previous integration policies.

Settling In Report: Indicators of immigrant integration 2023 | European Website on Integration (europa.eu)

Integration (europa.eu)

Action plan on the integration and inclusion (europa.eu)

https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/country-governance/governance-migrant-integration-italy_en

https://www.oecd.org/migration/mig/Indicators-of-immigrant-integration-Settling-in-Main-indicators-2023-Brochure.pdf

c) There is a need to support efforts for pacification and peace-building in the war-torn areas from which the refugees are fleeing. Current efforts (see below) to form a single effective government in Libya and enforce the rule of law by reaching an agreement between all legitimate groups are crucial in any attempt to limit the spread of ISIS and deal with the humanitarian and refugee crisis in Libya at its source.

https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/charting-risky-waters-italy-and-khalifa-haftars-role-in-libya-134318

https://www.usip.org/publications/2023/05/libya-can-move-past-its-political-deadlock-it-will-take-work-maintain-deal

 https://press.un.org/en/2023/sc15392.doc.htm

https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/08/1139967

d) There is also a need to provide more funds to UN agencies and NGOs in countries in North Africa, Syria’s neighbors, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey and counties in Africa which are trying to deal with the enormous refugee problem.

https://neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/enlargement-policy/turkiye/eu-support-refugees-turkiye_en

https://www.fao.org/neareast/news/view/en/c/1310705/

https://neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-03/EUTF_libya_en.pdf

https://trust-fund-for-africa.europa.eu/index_en

https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/africa-eu-partnership_en

e) Whatever public resentment there may be in Italy about perceived threats to jobs, at a time of low economic growth (but falling unemployment), and perceived threats to the nation’s ‘culture’, immigrant numbers remain a limited proportion of the population. It is only in certain areas with sudden, high immigrant concentrations that a community may feel overwhelmed and this calls, above all, for better planning and organization in the redistribution of recently arrived migrants.

f) Although most of the EU economies are either just coming out of recession or growing only slowly, the EU’s population generally is aging and young migrants may play an important and necessary role in the economy in the recovery.

g) The migrant challenge is unlikely to go away soon. So the EU and national governments will have to respond to public concerns about immigration while at the same time honoring their legal and moral obligations to deal with the question by providing better-coordinated, better-funded plans on a long-term basis. So far such plans have only been partially successful.

h) How to deal with asylum seekers who are successful in their application (where should they reside?) and those who are not (repatriation). Indeed, refoulement now seems to be one of the main challenges for the current Italian government as it was for the last.

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20230704STO02012/repatriation-how-many-migrants-in-the-eu-are-sent-back

https://www.politico.eu/article/italy-prime-minister-giorgia-meloni-immigration-crackdown/

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/18/italy-set-to-pass-stricter-measures-on-migrant-arrivals

i) The idea and effectiveness of using military force against the human traffickers.

https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-trafficking-in-persons-report/italy

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/eu-extends-mandate-of-military-mission-in-mediterranean/2850811

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-migration-policy/saving-lives-sea/

j) The question of how to protect the Schengen agreement.

https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/2023-state-schengen-achievements-and-key-priorities-2023-05-31_en

 k) the deal with Turkey and questions about human rights and whether it is legal

https://www.rescue.org/eu/article/what-eu-turkey-deal

https://reliefweb.int/report/world/eu-migration-governance-protracted-conflict-conflict-transformation-perspective-eu-turkey-deal

and strained relations with today’s Turkey

https://gppi.net/2023/09/13/lets-venture-a-reset-in-eu-turkey-relations

l) agreements between Italy, the EU and Libya's fragile government aimed at containing migration from Libya to Italy and attempts to encourage the formation of a unity government there.

https://www.thelocal.it/20170523/italy-makes-deal-with-libya-chad-and-niger-aimed-at-cutting-down-migration

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/11/number-of-migrants-arriving-in-italy-from-libya-falls-by-half-in-july

https://www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/north-africa/libya/forming-unity-government-may-be-libyas-best-bet-healing

https://www.jointproject.eu/2023/04/20/resolving-libyas-legitimacy-crisis-2023-elections-as-a-pathway-for-peace-and-democratisation/

https://phys.org/news/2023-09-key-libyan-conflict-country-analyst.html

https://www.governo.it/en/articolo/president-meloni-meets-prime-minister-libyan-government-national-unity/22833

https://www.frstrategie.org/sites/default/files/documents/publications/autres/2023/joint_rp_15.pdf

https://www.gisreportsonline.com/r/europe-mistakes-libya/

m) The question of identity – beyond fears about whether migrants from outside Europe 

and even from some areas of Eastern Europe represent an economic threat to jobs and pay levels, a burden on welfare systems or pose threats to security in terms of crime and terrorism, there is the question of whether they are seen as an existential threat to the Italian and Western European way of life. To what extent can migrants learn to be Europeans in terms of thinking and identity? Can Europeans live with multiculturalism?

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1781685820913391

https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2023/02/13/why-promoting-multiculturalism-could-increase-support-for-the-eu/

https://www.uinjkt.ac.id/en/amin-nurdin-the-failure-of-european-multiculturalism-is-not-caused-by-the-issue-of-islamization/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/embracing-diversity-cultural-mediation-italys-patrizia-pelliccioni

https://eurocities.eu/goals/migration-and-integration/

Human rights of refugees and migrants in Libya

https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/03/1114842

https://reliefweb.int/report/libya/libya-death-detainee-underscores-lethal-conditions-migrant-detention-centres-enar#:~:text=Thousands%20of%20migrants%20and%20asylum,%2C%20extortion%2C%20and%20sexual%20harassment.

https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/un-rights-mission-blasts-eu-on-libya-migrant-abuses/

https://www.hrw.org/report/2019/01/21/no-escape-hell/eu-policies-contribute-abuse-migrants-libya

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/2023-06-27/20/

https://asylumineurope.org/reports/country/turkiye/detention-asylum-seekers/detention-conditions/place-detention/

http://opiniojuris.org/2021/08/05/the-memorandum-of-understanding-between-italy-and-libya-does-it-create-human-rights-obligations-on-the-part-of-italy/

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/press-release/2021/07/libya-horrific-violations-in-detention-highlight-europes-shameful-role-in-forced-returns/

https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature/2021/6/2/a-sicilian-fishing-town-and-the-perils-of-italys-migration-deal-with-libya

https://www.hrw.org/it/report/2019/01/21/326624

https://www.avvenire.it/attualita/pagine/rinnovato-memorandum-italia-libia

https://sea-watch.org/en/legal-action-against-italy-over-its-coordination-of-libyan-coast-guard/

https://www.coe.int/en/web/commissioner/-/commissioner-publishes-observations-on-alleged-human-rights-violations-of-migrants-returned-from-italy-to-lib-1

http://www.qil-qdi.org/is-italy-internationally-responsible-for-the-gross-human-rights-violations-against-migrants-in-libya/

https://www.avvenire.it/attualita/pagine/onu-avvisa-italia-e-ue-stop-complicita-in-libia

And perhaps simply of general interest?

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/interactive-publications/demography-2023

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Migration_and_migrant_population_statistics

https://www.destatis.de/Europa/EN/Topic/Population-Labour-Social-Issues/Labour-market/Labour_Mobility.html

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagrafe_degli_italiani_residenti_all%27estero

https://www.neodemos.info/2021/04/16/italiani-deuropa-quanti-sono-dove-sono-una-nuova-stima-sulla-base-dei-profili-di-facebook/

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