EU Considers Offshore Migrant Processing as Debate on Deportations Intensifies

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has suggested that the EU could learn from Italy’s controversial policy of processing migrants offshore in Albania. As leaders of the 27 member states gathered for an EU summit focusing on migration, von der Leyen highlighted the need to address low deportation rates of irregular migrants, currently at just 20%. Italy has already begun transferring migrants to Albania, with 16 men sent to a processing center in Shengjin, although some vulnerable individuals were returned to Italy. The Italian government has spent €650 million on two centers where asylum claims will be examined under Italian law, excluding children and vulnerable people.

This move has sparked debate within the EU, with some member states exploring similar solutions. The Dutch government is considering sending rejected asylum seekers to Uganda, while several other nations, including Poland, France, and Germany, have taken steps to tighten immigration controls and enforcement in response to rising far-right support. Recent violent crimes involving failed asylum seekers in Germany and France have intensified calls for tougher deportation policies, prompting some member states to reintroduce border checks or propose further restrictions.

Italy’s agreement with Albania has faced sharp criticism from NGOs and opposition politicians, who argue it is inhumane and ineffective. However, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni defended the plan as a bold new approach aligned with the “European spirit.” The success of this scheme is being closely watched by other EU nations as they search for ways to balance public pressure on migration with humanitarian concerns.

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