EU countries have finally reached a crucial deal on the last piece of a flagship migration package, marking a significant step towards reforming the bloc’s asylum rules. The deal, which was approved on Wednesday morning, faced opposition from Poland and Hungary, with Austria, Czech Republic, and Slovakia choosing to abstain.
However, the support of Italy played a decisive role in unblocking the deal. As a front-line country dealing with a significant influx of migrants, Italy’s backing was crucial to move forward. In order to win Italy’s support, a concession was made by removing a reference favored by Germany on rescue missions conducted by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
This compromise opens the way for the EU to finally reach a deal on reforming its asylum rules after nearly a decade of failed attempts. The text of the deal now excludes one of the two mentions of NGO rescue missions, which was seen as a symbolic move to address Italy’s concerns.
While some diplomats speculated that Germany is relying on the European Parliament to restore language in favor of NGO rescue missions in the future, the immediate focus is on the Italian and German government leaders who exerted pressure on their coalition partners to soften their stances and secure the deal.
Both Germany and Italy claimed victory after the deal was reached. Germany appears to have made progress towards its objective of restraining the role of NGOs in rescue missions, while Italy achieved a significant breakthrough in their efforts to address the challenges they face as a front-line country handling migrant arrivals.
The agreement represents a turning point in the European Union’s migration policies, offering hope for better cooperation and more effective management of the migration crisis. As the EU takes steps towards reforming its asylum rules, the focus now turns to the implementation and effectiveness of these measures in addressing the ongoing challenges posed by migration.