The agreement is historic: for the first time, after seven years of negotiations on two different proposals, the governments of the European Union have found an agreement to change the rules governing the right to asylum. A reform that introduces elements of solidarity to help countries of first arrival (those who refuse redistribution will have to pay 20,000 euros per migrant), but also more constraints to ensure that states such as Italy assume their responsibilities in managing arrivals, following an accelerated procedure for examining asylum applications. In exchange, Rome has asked for more leeway to expel the “irregulars”: not only to their countries of origin, but also to those through which they have transited.
Here are the key points
1
The EU states that oppose the redistribution will have to pay 20,000 euros per migrant
2
The border procedures for examining applications will have to last a maximum of 12 weeks
3
States of first entry will remain responsible for the migrants for a period of two years
4
Italy has obtained the possibility of repatriating migrants also to transit countries