Overview
- European Parliament approved changes to asylum procedures by 408–184–60, expanding the EU list of safe countries and endorsing third‑country processing hubs.
- The approved list names Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, India, Morocco and Tunisia, with the Commission tasked to monitor conditions and propose removals if needed.
- Italy’s Council of Ministers cleared a migration bill featuring a temporary interdiction of territorial waters for 30 days, extendable to six months, with fines up to €50,000 and possible vessel confiscation for violations.
- The bill allows transferring those intercepted to third countries with agreements, incorporates the EU’s ‘safe third country’ concept, and drops the contested ‘Almasri’ clause after legal concerns.
- The Quirinale is scrutinizing the ‘naval blockade’ provision for treaty compliance as Meloni and Germany’s Merz rally EU leaders on competitiveness, with Ursula von der Leyen signaling readiness to use enhanced cooperation to bypass unanimity.