MNI ANALYSIS: Italy Migrant Strategy Bears Fruit With Partners

--Italy Policy Paves Way To New EU Migration Policy

--Dublin Treaty Revision, Enhanced EU-Africa Partnerships Top Priorities

By Silvia Marchetti

     ROME (MNI) - As migrant landing numbers in the Mediterranean fall, Italy

continues to spearhead a new European migration policy focused on a revision of

the Dublin treaty on immigration and on boosting economic-political ties with

Africa, ties that have already contributed to the reversal.

     Several top officials told Market News that a "turning point" was underway

in European Union policy after Rome's crack-down on non-cooperating NGOs and new

bilateral deals with Libya and sub-Saharan countries were bearing fruit. The

focus is now to boost funds to Africa, strengthening ties with both origin and

transit countries ahead of the next EU-Africa summit in November.

     "Brussels and our EU partners have finally acknowledged the positive

outcome of our measures and the fact that solidarity is a matter of justice when

it comes to migrant relocation schemes," said Marina Berlinghieri, Democrat

deputy and head of the Lower House EU Affairs Committee.

     An "important step" forward came on Wednesday when the EU Court of Justice

ruled against appeals from Hungary and Slovakia to reject the relocation scheme,

a decision which is expected to trigger infraction procedures and sanctions.

     "The EC must adopt a hard stance and move on with sanctions against all

member states that refuse to take in their fair share of migrants or take in too

little, in order to send a clear signal that burden-sharing is not an option

with zero consequences," said Sandro Gozi, Italy's Undersecretary of State for

EU Affairs.

     Rome has always requested that the next EU budget funds allocation be

subject to each member state's commitment in migrant burden-sharing, a request

opposed by the eastern bloc. It even proposed adopting a veto power against all

"rebel" members that are net budget beneficiaries as opposed to net

migrant-loaded contributors like Italy.

     "Members can't be pro-Europe when it comes to grabbing funds, and

nationalist when they're called 'to give' and implement solidarity. Those who do

not accept relocation of migrants destroy the building principles of the

European project," said Gozi.

     Migrant landings in Italy dropped in August to just 3,800, down from 24,000

in June. The number of deaths at sea has also fallen, indications that the new

measures adopted appear to be successful.

     The results come after years of clashes at EU level. The turning point was

in 2014 when the government of then prime minister Matteo Renzi launched the

"Migration Compact", calling for an integrated European policy, enhanced

financial aid to Africa, Africa bond issuance and more efficient relocation

measures.

     "Up until a few years ago, at EU level, migration was a side-issue that was

discussed at the end of meetings, it did not play such a central role as today

and this is thanks to our persistence. Italy is paving the way to a new EU

immigration policy," said Berlinghieri.

     Gozi argued that helping migrant transit countries such as Chad, Mali and

Niger with increased funds and agreements was crucial. "It's important to move

on at an EU level with border deals between south Libya and these countries, to

boost financial resources to Libyan authorities and to increase the number of

illegal migrants repatriations, still too low".

     The European Parliament recently allocated E46 million to Libya and is

boosting the Africa Trust Fund to support local economic development with over

169 contracts so far signed worth over E1.2 billion.

     This summer, Italy sponsored new NGOs conduct rules and is supporting

Libyan coastal authorities with two warships. Rome has also made deals with 14

local Libyan tribe leaders to stop transit refugees from setting sail across the

Mediterranean.

     Italy has also been pushing many bilateral agreements with Sub-Saharan

countries and has launched a E5 million public tender for Italian firms wanting

to invest in developing migrant origin countries.

     Italy is winning over support from European peers. At a recent immigration

summit in Paris, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Emmanuel

Macron acknowledged that time had come to revise the Dublin Treaty binding rules

on migrant hospitality by which destination countries must bear the burden alone

of handling the refugees. 

     Merkel and Macron also agreed on what has been Rome's government slogan

since the very start: "Let's help refugees 'but at home'".

     Macron has announced another migration meeting to be held in Spain by

November, to prepare for the next EU-Africa Summit which will likely focus on

'replicating' the EU-Turkey deal with Libya and other African countries, a deal

signed last year to shut the Balkan Route.

     EP president Antonio Tajani has called for a rapid agreement at EU level

with Libya that could be as effective as the one signed with Ankara's

government, a deal which has almost solved the migration crisis in Greece by

shifting it to the central Mediterranean.

     On Wednesday, EU Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos announced that by the

end of this year, Brussels should be able to put a full proposal together on the

new Dublin Treaty relocation scheme.

     "In Italy, 7,200 eligible persons have arrived in 2017 but so far but only

4,000 have been registered. The focus now must be on relocating all those

eligible as soon as possible," he said.

     According to Gozi, new relocation rules must take into account the shift in

incoming migrant fluxes from different origin countries. 

     "If before we had more Syrian refugees, today this has changed and we must

adapt relocation criteria to the new incoming nationalities," he said.

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

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