France and Italy have taken a significant step in addressing the ongoing challenge of illegal migration. The interior ministers of both nations have signed a declaration to exchange information related to migrant trafficking, as reported by the French interior ministry on October 4, 2024. This collaborative effort is modeled after a similar agreement between France and the United Kingdom, which was initiated in northern France in 2020.
The primary objective of this Franco-Italian declaration is to facilitate judicial investigations aimed at dismantling the networks that support illegal migration flows through Italy to other European Union countries, with France remaining a popular destination. This agreement comes at a time when both nations are grappling with domestic pressures surrounding immigration policies.
In France, the newly appointed Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, a member of the conservative Republican party (LR), has emphasized his commitment to further tightening immigration laws. This stance aligns with the prime minister's recent statements on the need for improved border control. The situation reflects the ongoing debate within the European Union about balancing humanitarian obligations with national security concerns.
Italy, under the leadership of far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has also pledged to significantly reduce migrant entries, although the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen. The country's extensive 7,600 km coastline makes it particularly vulnerable to sea arrivals, presenting unique challenges in border management.
The collaboration between France and Italy is particularly significant given their shared 500 km land border, primarily traversing the Alps. This mountainous region, covering approximately 200,000 km², presents natural barriers but also potential crossing points for migrants. Despite both countries being part of the Schengen Area, which typically allows for free movement, the responsibility for processing asylum seekers still falls to individual nations under the Dublin Regulation, first adopted in 1990.
This new agreement builds upon existing European frameworks for managing migration. The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), established in 2004, and the European Asylum Support Office, created in 2010, have been working to improve cooperation between EU member states. However, the migrant crisis that peaked in 2015, with over 1 million arrivals, highlighted the need for more robust systems and collaboration.
The Franco-Italian declaration also aims to address tensions that have arisen between the two countries in the past. In November 2022, a diplomatic row erupted when Italy refused to allow a charity ship carrying migrants to dock, forcing it to divert to a port in southern France. Such incidents underscore the complex nature of managing migration in the Mediterranean region, where countries like Italy's Lampedusa island serve as major arrival points for those crossing the sea.
As both France and Italy work to implement this new information-sharing system, they will likely draw upon experiences from other European initiatives. These include the Eurodac system for fingerprinting asylum seekers, implemented in 2003, and the European Return Directive of 2008, which set standards for returning individuals without legal status.
The success of this Franco-Italian cooperation will be closely watched by other EU members, as it could potentially serve as a model for future agreements aimed at addressing the ongoing challenges of migration management within the Schengen Area and the broader European Union.
"Its objective is clear: to trigger judicial investigations, often combined, aimed at dismantling the networks underpinning the illegal flow through Italy to the rest of the European Union, in which France remains a sought-after destination."
As the implementation of this agreement progresses, it will be crucial to monitor its impact on migration patterns, judicial processes, and the overall effectiveness of cross-border cooperation in combating human trafficking networks.