Italy and Denmark call for a tougher European Union migration policy

Italy and Denmark strengthened their alliance to promote a tightening of the European Union's migration policy. Prime Ministers Giorgia Meloni and Mette Frederiksen issued a joint statement calling for new tools to combat illegal immigration, including the establishment of external repatriation centers intended to house illegal immigrants until they can be returned to their countries of origin.

The initiative was presented in a context marked by the migration crisis affecting Spain following the massive arrival of migrants in Ceuta from Morocco. Although the statement does not make direct reference to the Spanish situation, both leaders asserted that Europe needs a more effective common policy to respond to the increasing migration flows and to prevent the external borders of the bloc from being under constant pressure.

Meloni and Frederiksen stated that illegal immigration poses a challenge to security, the functioning of asylum systems, and citizens' trust in European institutions. In this regard, they advocated for the need to expedite the deportations of those who do not have the right to remain in EU territory and to establish agreements with third countries to set up repatriation centers outside the European Union.

The proposed model revisits initiatives previously promoted by Italy, which in recent years sought to develop centers for migrants outside the EU territory as part of its strategy to manage irregular flows. Now, Denmark publicly joins this proposal, consolidating an alliance between two governments of different political orientations that agree on the need to tighten European migration policies.

The leaders also called for a review of EU legislation to facilitate the expulsion of immigrants who remain illegally in Europe. They noted that the current system presents numerous difficulties in executing return orders and argued that greater coordination among member states would improve the effectiveness of migration policies.

The joint positioning of Italy and Denmark comes at a time of high political tension over illegal immigration and reflects the growing importance this issue has acquired on the European agenda. With the crisis in Ceuta still present and the debate on border security established in Brussels, both leaders seek to promote a change in the bloc's migration strategy based on greater border control and an increase in deportations.