The agreement on migrants between Italy and Albania could become a model for Europe. The EU Commission, in fact, wrote a letter to the heads of state and government of the 27 member countries in view of the Brussels summit this week. In the letter, President Ursula von der Leyen invites the leaders of the bloc to evaluate the opening of deportation centers in third countries where irregular migrants can be transferred. A bit like Rome and Tirana are doing, amidst a thousand controversies and doubts about the relationship between costs and results.
von der Leyen’s letter
In his letter, von der Leyen cites this agreement, arguing that it would be possible to “draw practical lessons” from the Italian model. The president also explained that she is preparing a reform of the rules on repatriation, one of the unresolved issues of the recent Migration Pact launched in Brussels.
The leader of the Commission thus welcomes the requests of a large group of partner countries, led by Denmark, who had urged the exploration of “innovative solutions” to combat irregular immigration. The main obstacle to non-EU reception centers is finding countries willing to follow Albania’s example. Some governments of the bloc are asking to put pressure on the Balkan countries that are candidates for EU membership (as is Tirana). For these states, a potential agreement could lead to a sort of “do ut des”: today you take the migrants, tomorrow we accelerate your entry into the EU.
