Finland to Resume Dublin Transfers of Asylum Seekers to Italy

Finland is preparing to resume transfers of asylum seekers to Italy under the European Union’s new Asylum and Migration Management Regulation, according to the Finnish Interior Ministry. Finland will become the fourth country, after Germany, Austria and Switzerland, to restart such transfers to Italy.

The Finnish Interior Ministry told ANSA that the entry into force of the new EU regulation makes it possible to resume transfers and that preparations are already underway. Helsinki stressed that the rules determining which country is responsible for examining an asylum application should be applied as intended and that all EU member states must fulfil their obligations under the pact, CE Report quotes ANSA.

The new system replaces the previous Dublin framework and seeks to clarify responsibility for asylum applications while strengthening cooperation between EU member states. Italy had suspended the acceptance of Dublin transfers in late 2022, citing pressure on its reception system, but began moving toward a resumption following the implementation of the new EU migration framework.

Switzerland announced earlier this week that it would also resume transfers to Italy, initially on an individual-case basis, with the first returns expected at the end of August.

Photo: Wikipedia