Brussels, July 16 (dpa/GNA) – Italy is effectively still blocking the return of asylum seekers from Germany and other member states, according to an EU report.
In the first three weeks after a new EU asylum system entered into force, the Italian authorities refused 12 times to take back asylum seekers for whom they were responsible, according to an analysis released on Wednesday by the European Commission.
The report said the Italian authorities, were not actively coordinating with other member states on the practical and logistical steps for transfers back to Italy.
The commission conceded that Italy had made major efforts to implement the new asylum rules, but that concrete steps were required to ensure that transfers back actually took place.
New asylum rules entered into force on June 12. They focus on Cyprus, Spain, Greece and Italy as the four countries with important EU external borders, which are entitled to support from other member states.
In return, they are also to take back asylum applicants who have moved on in breach of the rules, for example to Germany. In principle, the member state responsible for asylum procedures is the one in which asylum seekers first arrive in the EU. This principle led to years of disputes between member states.
While states on the bloc’s external borders felt they were being left to deal with the large number of refugees on their own, countries further north such as Germany and France insisted on keeping to the existing rules. The EU asylum reform was intended to create a balance and calm the dispute.
A more extensive analysis of how well the new EU asylum system is working is to follow in October.
GNA