In the first three weeks following the implementation of the new Common European Asylum System, Italian authorities have rejected twelve consecutive requests to take back asylum seekers for whom they were officially responsible. This development, highlighted in a recent European Commission analysis, suggests that Italy continues to effectively block the transfer of migrants from other member states, including Germany. The new asylum rules, which took effect on June 12, 2026, were designed to create a more balanced distribution of responsibilities across the European Union.
Under the established Dublin Regulation, the member state where an asylum seeker first enters the European Union is generally responsible for processing their application. For years, this has been a point of contention, as frontline states like Italy, Greece, Spain, and Cyprus have argued that the system places an unfair burden on them. While the new reforms aim to provide these countries with greater support, they also require them to accept the return of individuals who have moved on to other countries. The recent data indicates that this mechanism is currently failing to function as intended.
The European Commission report notes that Italian authorities are not only refusing these transfers but are also failing to coordinate with other member states on the necessary logistics. While the Commission acknowledged that Italy has made significant efforts to implement the new rules, it emphasized that concrete steps are now required to ensure that transfers actually occur. This ongoing friction highlights the difficulty of achieving consensus on migration policy within the bloc, as frontline nations remain under significant pressure from high numbers of arrivals.
For the public and policymakers, this situation creates a state of bureaucratic uncertainty. When frontline states refuse to accept responsibility for asylum seekers, the burden often falls on other countries to manage the procedures, leading to legal and political tensions. As the European Union monitors the early stages of this new system, the practical impact remains limited, with the core issue of responsibility sharing between member states still unresolved.