Luxembourg (ANSA) – The Court of Justice of the European Union recently held a hearing regarding the Italy-Albania protocol. The judges in Luxembourg are tasked with reviewing preliminary rulings from the Rome Court, which has yet to validate the detentions of migrants rescued in the Mediterranean and subsequently sent to Albania, particularly those from nations the Italian government considers safe, such as Egypt and Bangladesh.
Recognizing the significance of the matter, the EU Court is conducting its review through an expedited process, with a ruling anticipated before summer. The court will focus on a critical issue: the definition and implementation of the term “safe third country.”
During the hearing, EU legal representative Flavia Tomat indicated that the European Commission acknowledges that Directive 2013/32 on asylum procedures permits member states to designate certain countries as safe, while also allowing for exceptions for specific groups of individuals.
Tomat emphasized that the regulations “do not preclude the designation of a safe country of origin even if safety is not universally assured for all individuals,” noting that vulnerable groups must still be “clearly identifiable.”
As a result, Europe is prepared to facilitate returns and to acknowledge expedited procedures for asylum applications from individuals arriving from countries designated as only partially safe, as long as protections are in place for identifiable vulnerable groups. This perspective bolsters Italy’s aspirations for the Shengjin and Gjader centers, with support in court from several Eastern and Northern European governments (February 25).
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