A coalition of humanitarian organizations has formally requested the European Commission to review Italy's migration legislation, expressing concerns about its compatibility with European Union (EU) norms and international law. The appeal comes in response to the Italian government's recent detention of a rescue ship involved in saving migrants at sea.
The coalition consists of well-known aid groups, including Emergency, Doctors Without Borders, SOS Humanity, and ASGI, a legal association specializing in migration studies. They argue that Italy's migration laws raise questions regarding their alignment with EU regulations and international legal frameworks.
While the European Commission acts as the guardian of the EU's treaties, rules, and regulations, it generally refrains from intervening in domestic legislation unless it violates fundamental rules agreed upon by member states.
This development reflects Italy's intensified crackdown on migration under the current right-wing government led by Premier Giorgia Meloni. Earlier this week, Italian authorities impounded the Ocean Viking ship operated by SOS Mediterranee in collaboration with the Red Cross following its most recent rescue mission.
SOS Mediterranee released a statement on July 13 expressing disappointment, stating that the Italian coast guard inspection in Civitavecchia on July 11 identified "a very few technical and administrative deficiencies" requiring further investigation. The extended investigation will delay the ship's return to sea.
Such inspections have become routine in Italy as part of the government's increased monitoring of humanitarian groups involved in rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean and attempting to disembark them at Italian ports.
The aid groups filing the complaint with Brussels also cited other Italian regulations that mandate rescue ships to head to port after a single rescue, instead of staying at sea to conduct further rescues. The government, led by Meloni, accuses humanitarian organizations of effectively running a "taxi service" for migrants and has designated disembarkation ports further up the Italian coast.
Italian officials argue that these measures are necessary to ensure the safety of migrants and to distribute their arrival, preventing southern welcome centers from becoming overwhelmed. However, aid groups contend that such requirements extend the period in which charity vessels are out of service and away from the areas where migrant smugglers operate in the Mediterranean.
The request for a review by the European Commission adds to the ongoing debate surrounding migration policy in Italy and highlights the differing perspectives between the government and humanitarian organizations.
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